Drop By Drop
by GoogleKnowsUs
Summary: Sequel for "Exigency", which was a 'Watershed post ep AU' - I strongly recommend reading it before this. In 'Drop By Drop' Castle and Beckett return to the city to find that things have changed for the worse. Will they be able to turn the tide or will they go checkmate? Will feature your favorite characters from the show and some more :-) Rated: T Chapter 12 is now up !
1. Drop By Drop

**A/N: So reviewers of my first story were demanding ... wait ... asking for another story from me so I thought I'd give it a go. If you haven't read 'Exigency' then go ... over there ... and do so. You could read this one on its own but I don't think it would make too much sense if you did :-)**

******FYI, Flashpoint33 made me. Just that. Haha.**

**This story is going to address every single spoiler snippet I can get, starting with 6x01 and 6x02, so if you're spoiler-free (haha, how did you do that?), please don't read this, similarities might occur in the actual episode if I do well ;)**

**Little disclaimer for the whole story: Castle does belong to Mr. Andrew W. Marlowe and I don't own it ... but I think I should. ;-)**

* * *

**Chapter 1 - Drop by Drop**

_She didn't care._

_She leaned against the window of the police cruiser that transported her into prison and let out a sigh of acceptance. She would just accept her sentence and go through with it._

_A gigantic blow caught the car and the power of it overturned the vehicle a couple of times until it came to a standstill at the side of the road. The driver and the other two officers were unconscious and severely injured, dislocated bones and several cuts marked the severity of their injuries. Tori Ellis was on the edge of unconsciousness, she had a deep cut on her cheek, the back of her head was covered in blood and she felt a sudden pain in her left leg. Still, she was alive._

_Confused, she tried to locate the source of the blow but couldn't see far enough as her vision was clouded._

_Then she heard a male voice: "Sorry for the injuries, Detective. Let's get you out of here."  
_

* * *

_**The moment she awoke would always be burned into her mind as if it was done with a hot branding iron. She lay in why looked and felt like a hospital bed, white linen sheets and a slightly more comfortable mattress than a hospital would provide you with. Around her, several medical devices beeped to signal their steady workings and the room was lit quite poorly. Just a fluorescent blue light could be seen which shone around a window in one of the walls. Said window seemed to lead into a corridor, the room itself didn't have a window of its own.**_

_**Apart from the medical devices, she didn't hear any other sound. She felt that her head was bandaged all around and her right arm was in a cast. The arm hurt just a little but the pain seemed to have been dulled down by painkillers. Maybe that was also why her eyesight was foggy and her brain didn't work as fast as it usually did. She tried to sit up but she didn't have the strength to do so and she gave up. **_

_**Mere moments later a voice greeted her: "Finally you're come around, Detective, how wonderful!"**_

_**"Who are you? Where am I? What happened?" She said weakly, her voice strained from the long sleep she must have had.**_

_**"Easy, Detective, easy. All in due time. You were injured pretty badly so I suggest you get some more rest and once your brain isn't as slow as it is now, we'll talk."**_

_**Ellis realized that her lids were becoming heavy again but she didn't want to go back to sleep without at least some answers.**_

_**But the voice remained silent for her calls and eventually she gave up.**_  
_**She went back into a dreamless slumber, into a place where the dull pain from her injuries was just a distant memory.**_

_**Behind the window in the corridor, a man in a lab coat noted something down on a clipboard. He mumbled something as he did so and he seemed to be satisfied with Ellis' recovery. When she was ready for it, he would remove the bandages from her head and show her the new woman that she had become in the meantime. What a coincidence it had been that some of her cuts called for some surgical attention.**_

_**She wouldn't look like she did before. Which would come in very handy.**_

_**There was still this one job she could do and he wanted just her to do it.**_

_**Kill Jerry Tyson.**_

_**She had every reason to. Some would even go as far as saying that she had every right to. **_

_**The man turned around and switched the light off in the corridor, handing a nurse the clipboard. It was time to get changed. For his normal, daily life.  
**_

* * *

They had heard the news as soon as they got back into the city and into the loft. Ryan had called with news that appeared beyond belief but were soon confirmed by Federal Agents who rushed to the scene to find three police officers severely injured and a fourth, who happened to be a convict, missing.

The incident was soon all over the news and as Kate switched the TV on, various news stations reported it and blamed the New York Police Department and the FBI for the apparent disappearance of a convict.

"Look at this" Kate said and gestured towards the big TV screen in Castle's living room. "It's disgusting!"

The anchor woman of the news station Kate had switched on reported the incident and her tone was disapproving throughout the whole depiction of the incident.

"... It appears as if the route had been carefully spied on. The abductor used blunt force to knock the vehicle off the little used road. At this point we can only assume that an explosive device was used to stop the vehicle. Police reports that the three officers riding the police car are all severely injured and were flown into different hospitals which are specialized for their individual needs.

The convict, 28-year-old former NYPD officer Tori Leanne Ellis was not found on location and according to the little information we have gotten from the FBI this afternoon, it seems as if the blow didn't catapult her out of the car. Instead, it seems as if she was taken from the vehicle by some unknown persona who authorities suspect to be the person responsible for the blow.

Tori Leanne Ellis was sentenced to serve time in prison after her compliancy with serial killer Jerry Tyson became evident. The latter is imprisoned and several states are negotiating whether he should be sentenced to death.

Jerry Tyson was involved in the recent abduction of Katherine Beckett, NYPD detective, girlfriend to successful crime novelist Richard Castle.

As soon as we have more, you'll see it here."

Kate switched the television off, apparently annoyed at the fact that her name got mixed up in the report of the incident involving her former colleague Tori Ellis. Naturally, the press would rope her and Castle in. She snorted.

"I like the notion of the successful crime novelist, though" said Castle and dropped the bags he was still holding onto the living room floor where they landed with an audible thud.

"I like the notion of them not having discovered our engagement" Kate added and turned towards her fiancée.

"Are you embarrassed to be seen with me all of the sudden?" he acted as if he was terribly hurt, touching his chest right where his heart was.

"I am not" she contradicted and a smile played on her lips.

"Are you sure, 'cos it seems as if you were getting second thoughts, Detective..."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you" he said, coming closer.

"I am not getting second thoughts, Mr. Castle" she retorted, suddenly aware of his eyes which were rapidly darkening from the deep blue they usually were to a storm clouded dark blue which clearly showed his need to be close to her.

"When's your appointment?" he mumbles into her ear after he had pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Thursday afternoon, I cleared it with Gates already. Told her it was a routine check-up."

"Which it is until we know otherwise, relax, Kate" he said, realizing that she had stiffened under his touch all of the sudden "I know that we've been through a lot and we both knew it wouldn't be easy, being together and still being us. We know that now and can work with it, right? So please relax and don't make me anxious, too..."

"Sorry, trying here..."

"I know you are" he said and kissed her forehead. He then carefully poked her stomach with his index finger and said "if you're actually in there, little Castle, you better not stress mommy too much. If you aren't, well, then you soon will be..."

"Is that so, Rick?" she said, her voice full of affection and love for this man, her one and done.

"Be rest assured it is" he answered and smiled at the sight of her dreamy expression.

"Let's get these bags into the bedroom and start the laundry, I hate when stuff's piling up!"

"Oh, you do?" she asked incredulously "when did that happen?"

"Oh, since a certain detective moved in with me and lectured me about tidiness, dust and allergies" he chuckled and she slapped his arm.

"You better ..."

"I better ... what, Detective Beckett?"

"Run!" she said and quickly went after his retreating figure, the bags forgotten in the living room. On the kitchen counter lay the newspapers of the past week piled up, the newspaper on the top showed this day's date. Page six was flipped open and the headline immediately sprang to eye, its bold black letters mocking the potential readers in the loft:

**_"A writer and his muse - third time's the charm?"_**

_- Richard Castle (42) and Katherine Beckett (33) seem to be more than just friends and now lovers, it appears as if the New York based crime novelist popped the question and as we've learned exclusively, his muse said 'yes'! We say, roll on "Deadly Heat" and "A heated Storm" for we can't wait to read more heated love scenes between those two. It seems as if they're written out of personal experience? So, steamy Mr. Castle, keep them coming ... just don't mess this one up as the previous two, will you?  
Stay tuned for more and follow us online!  
_

* * *

**A/N: Welcome back ... the thing with studying is, it is not half as good as writing this so I didn't even wait a day before the sequel was begun. I really do hope you enjoy it as much as you've enjoyed "Exigency" - I am still mind-blown by your response and feedback. As always, reviews are golden.**


	2. Tick Tick Tick

**Chapter 2 - Tick ... Tick ... Tick ...**

_"A writer and his muse - third time's the charm?"_

_- Richard Castle (42) and Katherine Beckett (33) seem to be more than just friends and now lovers, it appears as if the New York based crime novelist popped the question and as we've learned exclusively, his muse said 'yes'! We say, roll on "Deadly Heat" and "A heated Storm" for we can't wait to read more heated love scenes between those two. It seems as if they're written out of personal experience? So, steamy Mr. Castle, keep them coming ... just don't mess this one up as the previous two, will you?_

Stay tuned for more and follow us online!

* * *

"Do you think they've seen it, yet?" said Jenny, the consideration for her friends apparent in her voice as she asked her husband, Detective Kevin Ryan when she visited him during his duty at the 12th precinct of New York City.

The Irish shrugged his shoulders "Dunno, maybe not. They've just come back from the Hamptons and as far as I know, Castle tends to avoid the internet and other media there. He even switches the internet off on his phone. Reasonable decision, whenever you turn the TV on, it's mostly just crap!"

"Hey, L.T." he shouted as the news came on "can you turn the volume up a notch, please?"

"Sure thing" his colleague answered and the anchorwoman of a big station appeared on the screen, her never changing hair style held into place by way to many styling products. She wore a bright red dress that stood out against the backdrop of her screen.

"Good evening, New York" she initiated her daily ritual of acknowledging and greeting her viewers, her face more like a mask and her boredom with her job as apparent as can be. She started with international news and worked her way though the local news that mattered to Ryan and were the reason he had asked L.T. to turn up the volume. Esposito had silently joined his colleague and his wife and all three watched the news intently.

"And now an update on the baffling disappearance of Tori Leanne Ellis, a former NYPD officer, now a convict sentenced to time, who escaped or was taken from the police vehicle that was on duty transporting her into state prison."

The screen showed the wreckage of the police car and the vast crowd of paramedics, police officers and federal agents, rummaging the scene for evidence or just helping the three injured police men. Then they showed a picture of Tori Ellis in her dress blues, her official NYPD photo and it didn't need much for Esposito to spit out. He pulled himself together and kept a straight face, although it still bothered him to no extent that someone he liked had turned against him, had never been on his side really. It saddened him, how little he knew about some of his co-workers. And how much some of them had known about him in order to be able to play him this neatly. He snorted, angling Ryan's attention but Esposito just made a face and gestured his friend to continue watching the news.

"As we've learned exclusively from the FBI just a few minutes ago, Tori Ellis must have sustained injuries as well and paramedics as well as federal agents highly doubt that she has made it out of the vehicle on her own. It's more likely that she was abducted by the same person that blew off the vehicle in the first place. This means we can now be sure that a convict was abducted from a police vehicle on purpose, is that right, Agent ..."

"Yes, at this point of the investigation we can safely assume that" the female FBI agent said. She had dark, curly hair which was tied back in a strict knot. Her smile would have been genuine, had someone allowed her to actually smile. She wore a dark business suit, a blue dress shirt and looked all business-like.

"Thank you for your time, Agent..."

".. McCord, no problem at all!"

The anchor woman used up the entirety of the screen again and went on: "We ask people to keep their eyes open and be aware of a 28-year-old female person, she must have sustained severe injuries and might be helpless. If you've seen her or can give any evidence which leads to her whereabouts, please call..."

"Wherever she is, I highly doubt someone will make a call" Ryan muttered and Jenny nodded, her right hand lying protectively on her small belly.

"Tori Ellis was convicted, among other reasons, for complicity, theft and obstruction of justice. She is connected to serial killer Jerry Tyson who is currently undergoing preparation of his own trial for several murders. She is considered highly dangerous, despite her injuries.

Jerry Tyson was involved in the recent abduction of Katherine Beckett, NYPD detective, girlfriend to successful crime novelist Richard Castle. The detective has recovered from the events and has resumed her work with the NYPD.

We'll update as soon as we have more!"

As if he understood the silent signals that Esposito and Ryan sent him, L.T. turned the volume of the TV back to the normal background noise you would hear at the precinct. The room buzzed with activity, the warm weather didn't slow down murderers, apparently, so the homicide squad had a lot of work.

"I better go" Jenny mumbled when she became aware that her husband should probably have gotten back to work minutes ago.

"I don't want you to" he answered and Esposito rolled his eyes at the exchange.

"Guys, if you get any cuter, it'll rain pink unicorns soon" Esposito complained but chuckled as he saw the flabbergasted looks that his friends shot him.

"Okay, Okay, I'll let you alone. As alone as you can be here" he said and turned around to sit down at his usual desk.

Ryan carefully touched his wife's belly and sighed "I'm gonna miss you!"

"We're gonna miss you, too, Kev" she said and looking at Esposito she added "You keep him safe?"

"'tis what partners do" the Latino responded.

* * *

Martha naturally had seen the bold letters mocking her from page six of the newspaper. She had hoped, it wouldn't ruin her son's holiday learning that the media had found out about their engagement. If she was very honest, she needed to admit that they didn't celebrate it very secretively, considering the fact that they had all occupied a booth at Remy's. That alone did grant a well enough access for a paparazzo or a gossip reporter to find them and portray the occasion. 'There might even have been someone that had followed Richard and Katherine to the Hamptons' Martha thought and shook her head. Some people clearly didn't respect personal boundaries. She had learned the hard way when her roles had been slightly bigger and her autographs were heavily requested at stage doors and at premiers. Some people just didn't have the capacities to imagine what it would be like for them to be followed by a bunch of picture-greedy man and women, who would do a lot ... _A LOT_ ... to get a good picture they could sell for ridiculous amounts of money.

Now, Castle wasn't a movie star, no brilliant actor or director, he was no member of a world famous band (ha, imagine that, considering his Guitar Hero skills!) and still, people knew him, went to his readings and book signings, followed his book presentations, pre-ordered his stuff and eventually became interested in the trivial bits of information they were able to grasp.

Such as an engagement. Sure, for a well-known crime novelist that had been married twice before, this piece of trivia seemed particularly interesting, especially to the wide range of his (deranged?) female fans. Martha still couldn't find anyone who she suspected having tipped the media off. No one in their immediate surroundings would have done that, wouldn't they?

She ruled out Alexis for her granddaughter knew exactly what kind of efforts her dad had made to keep her out of the public attention his life brought with it. Katherine and Richard themselves would have released a statement in cooperation with Gina and Paula whenever they would feel the need to do it. Neither could she imagine anyone at the 12th precinct to have done it. All of their colleagues knew how important it was to keep their relationship on the down low, especially considering the fact that Gates had made her idea of a constructive working environment pretty clear.

Pi! She tried to shove the thought away as soon as it occurred to her, but she wasn't convinced that he didn't have anything to do with it. After all, he had just moved into the loft a couple of weeks ago on a whim. He might not have seen the necessity to remain silent about some things that he learned. Martha planned on confronting him later, now she had to find Richard and fill him in on the news. She made herself known.

"Richard? Katherine?"

* * *

Castle groaned. His mother? Really? She was worse than anything that had interrupted his precious alone time with his girlfriend and partner in the past. She always blocked the really interesting moments. He looked down onto Kate's bare chest and saw it rise and fall with her heavy breathing.

"I sincerely hope that it is important" he pressed out and with one last glance at Kate, he got up and tried to arrange himself to be presentable for his mother.

"I do, too" Kate managed to get out, her mind clouded with lust and her thoughts of what he might have had in store for her today. She sighed and grabbed her bra and shirt to get dressed again.

"Coming" Castle shouted and placed a sloppy kiss on Kate's mouth. "Take your time, you look like you were about to ..."

"... have sex? Very mature, Castle!"

"Isn't that how I am?"

"Mature?" she snorted.

"Hey, hey, don't be mean" he grinned and as he left the room, she did give him a long do-over. What a fine ass that man had ...

Castle went into the kitchen to find Martha pacing up and down the room.

"Oh Richard" she let out an exhausted sigh, even if the news she was about to present had nothing to do with her personally.

"Oh Mother?" he asked, going directly towards the coffee machine.

"Don't pour yourself a coffee" Martha warned him and he turned back to her, surprised at her remark "You'll have enough adrenaline after you read this page..."

Martha threw the newspaper on the kitchen counter, the relevant page still flipped open. Castle took the item, read the first words and gasped. He quickly pulled out his cell phone and switched it on. As he waited for its startup, he tapped his fingernails on the counter. Meanwhile, Kate had joined them silently in the kitchen and he wordlessly handed her the newspaper page and she gasped, desperate for air. Who had found out already? All of their careful plans to come out with it when they felt ready were out of the window now. Kate felt the frustration rising deep inside of her, threatening to kill the loving mood they had been in. It also ruined their relaxation.

As Castle's phone regained his power, the messages poured in quickly. Several emails, messages, SMS, phone calls that he had missed. Yesterday alone, Paula and Gina had called him around twenty times and he could only guess what that must have been about.

He tapped on Paula's last call and the connection was established.

"Paula? Yeah, listen ... yeah, I know you're upset ... yeah, I get it, Paula, _LISTEN_! ... I know we have a situation here and I wanna know how we're handling it ... yeah ... yeah we're home. Oh, 'kay. Yeah, do come. Yeah, alright. See you later, Paula."

He turned towards his fiancée and his mother and said: "Paula and Gina are coming here. They're not too happy."

"No one is" Kate huffed.

* * *

**A/N: So the press figured it out ... who tipped them off? R & R please.**


	3. BOOM!

**Chapter 3 - ... Boom!**

_"Paula? Yeah, listen ... yeah, I know you're upset ... yeah, I get it, Paula, LISTEN! ... I know we have a situation here and I wanna know how we're handling it ... yeah ... yeah we're home. Oh, 'kay. Yeah, do come. Yeah, alright. See you later, Paula."_

_He turned towards his fiancée and his mother and said: "Paula and Gina are coming here. They're not too happy."_

_"No one is" Kate huffed._

* * *

Martha made herself scarce when she realized that Gina and Paula were indeed both coming to the loft. It was one thing to tolerate ex wife #2, another to do it if Paula was her company. There was only a certain amount of drama Martha could handle. Mostly, she loved creating it herself. She hated being an innocent bystander and with Gina it had always felt like she wasn't wanted or needed around. No, she didn't need any of that. So she excused herself to her room and dramatically flew up the stairs.

"My mother" Castle muttered and stared at a random spot on the kitchen wall. Not long before the two bossiest women of his life would enter the loft and leave nothing but destruction in their wake. Well, two of the four bossiest women of his life. The other two being his mother and his fiancée. Castle knew better than to phrase this and just smirked and stared back into oblivion.

Kate did see the smile that played around his lips but which disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. She decided to let it go. If he wanted to tell her, he sure would. And if he didn't, it couldn't be as important, could it? At least that was what she reassured herself with.

"Coffee?" Kate asked softly.

"No, thanks. My mother is right, if Gina AND Paula will be here shortly, the adrenaline of that visit is gonna keep me up until the break of dawn. Besides, isn't it 'no coffee' for you?" he asked and she almost dropped the cup she had just retrieved from one of the kitchen cabinets.

"Oh ... right" she said and put the cup back.

"At least until we know for sure?" he nudged her side playfully and she smiled.

"You're not having any morning sickness or anything along those lines, have you?"

"Nope, so far so good. I was just thinking ... some things are odd ... I just ... I think I need to know" she responded, all of the sudden not so sure about the probability of a child growing inside of her "I mean, I've had a lot of stress recently and I reckon that it can cause false symptoms. I wish I could just trust my instincts."

"When do you not?"

"Oh, I guess when I gave my consent to have you follow me around my precinct, that's when I didn't" she teased him with the events of their first case together, the one where she had promised him that he didn't have any idea. She had been right.

"So you're saying that your instinct told you to ignore and abandon me, Detective? I'm hurt" he mocked her with equal happiness and she grinned.

"Basically?" she retorted and poured herself a glass of orange juice. "You know, one thing about this Pi kid is great, there is always fresh juice in the fridge."

* * *

Alexis was bored. She usually was the kind of girl who enjoyed educating herself to a - as her father would put it - unhealthy level of devotion. Today her curiosity felt strangely dulled and she couldn't follow her lecture properly although the topic interested her immensely. Her mind was elsewhere and she soon realized to which person it bounced back. Pi. The very same Pi that sat across the room from her, obviously not having any issues with following the lecture today.

She envied him.

That was normally her job.

She craved a coffee. This was also new. After Costa Rica, after facing her fears that had come upon her due to her abduction she had felt relieved, happy, motivated, brave even. And now all that was left of her resolution was a bored, un-concentrated Alexis who yearned for the lecture to end.

Eventually, it ended and Alexis tried to beat the crowds and avoid the traffic jam at the door. She knew that Pi would be right behind her and together they stormed out of the room.

"That was interesting, wasn't it?" he beamed and Alexis had a slightly bad feeling about not paying attention at all.

"Yeah" she answered vaguely "yeah, it was"

"You have no idea what Professor Rosenbaum spoke about, have you?" Pi mocked her and Alexis is shocked how he can know her so well already. Maybe that was how her father had felt about Beckett in the beginning...

"Alexis? Are you daydreaming or something?"

* * *

**_Both of his wrists were slit up, the blood still gushing out of the cuts that lay bare. A puddle of crimson red blood was slowly but steadily forming._**

**_It didn't happen too long ago._**

**_He was still there, enjoying the views. So much for being a nosy reporter. That would be behind all. No more ruined lives, no more destroyed marriages and no child exposed to the public eye._**

**_It was over._**

**_He deserved to die. _**

**_And now people could be safer again._**

**_He turned away from the lifeless remains of the man and he eyed his watch. Didn't take him too long, that was good. They would be very satisfied with the _****_completion of the job. He had done it in less time than projected. That might even earn him a little bonus._**

**_The close-fitting black gloves itched a little bit. The wound still annoyed him, even months after. _**

**_He decided that it was time to leave and like a shadow he escaped like he had gotten in - without anyone noticing him._**

**_The lifeless body remained where he was. His wrist slit up, his face twisted in surprise and agony._**

**_A big piece of black duct tape over his mouth._**

**_A piece of paper next to him that said: "Talk is silver, silence is golden..."  
_**

* * *

"Look, Paula, Gina, I have no idea how that could have happened, okay?" Castle said, running his fingers though his hair for the seventh time in barely five minutes.

Kate just sat on a stool, her face tense and concerned. Not just for her, but for her family and her future. If they were making a big deal out of it now, what would even happen if her instincts were indeed right (she didn't solely trust in pregnancy tests from the drug store, no matter how expensive or advanced they were. They could also pick up false alarms and make them look right. And if her instincts were right, indeed, they were in for a very, very bumpy ride. Especially, when the two women currently in front of them found out.

She could almost picture the headlines on the gossip pages: 'It takes a writer and a muse to make a baby?' or "K & C = baby?" or "Is Rick Castle too old for a do over? Read more on page 7!'

Kate shuddered and tried to focus on the heated conversation in front of her.

"We must release a statement" Paula demanded, running around, not able to halt for even a second in her wish for activity.

"Yeah, and we need to rush through that book to throw it on the market, we can still profit from it, even if it wasn't planned at all" Gina added, and quickly calculated some figures on her smartphone.

"Oh, and we need to have pictures"

"Yeah! Pretty ones that we'll use with the statement, professional ones. Which photographer should we get?"

"Uh, let's get Sam Canston, he is quite pricy but he does the best photos in town!"

"Guys?" Castle tried to interrupt the back and fourth that had enfolded quickly, too quickly, in front of his eyes. When both Paula and Gina didn't want to shut up and were debating Kate's possible dress choices, they went too far. He shot his fiancée an apologetic look.

"GUYS, _ENOUGH_!" Castle shouted and earned himself silence and confused glances from Paula, Gina and Kate. The latter hadn't expected him to shout, but had she been present at any business meeting he had in the past? Maybe all of the conversations between him, his ex wife and Paula ended with a bang. Or halted after a bang. Apparently no one dared to say anything. Castle continued, now more quiet. He put emphasis on each word as he said:

"When Kate and I do engagement photos, _SHE_ choses what she wears. When we release a statement, _SHE_ has a say in what goes into it. If we chose a photographer, _SHE'll_ look at his / her work and evaluates it. Are we clear?"

His tone didn't leave much room for interpretation and the women knew it. Kate tried to hide the small smile that formed on her lips. In the end, which woman would not be flattered if her fiancée defended and supported her in front of ex wife #2?

"And I am sure that you'll be able to produce a wonderful statement that Kate will be satisfied with. I agree, we need to decide what we do. Kate?"

"Hm?"

"Do we tell people?"

"What else can we do? It's already out there anyways" she shrugged her shoulders but Castle saw that she felt uncomfortable that the situation got out of her, out of their control. It still made her feel helpless and insecure. Still. Castle went over to her and embraced her, while she still sat there.

"I don't deserve you" he mumbled and Kate grinned.

"No, you probably don't..."

"Jeez, woman..."

"Okay, I hate to interrupt the little ... love connection that is going on here" Gina cut in, the annoyance vibrating in her voice "but we need to agree on our next move!"

After briefly discussing the possibilities they agreed on a statement in the next issue of the newspaper and Paula hurried into Castle's study to make the necessary calls to ensure that it would be printed. She returned with a two-hour deadline and the women sat down to talk about possible phrases that could go into the statement. Meanwhile, Castle brew coffee and one cup of chamomile tea. He was occupying himself with the coffee making as Alexis entered the loft and directly went for the kitchen counter.

"Why are Beckett, Gina and Paula in your study, sitting over some papers?"

Castle wordlessly handed her the page from the newspaper that had the gossip about their engagement on it.

"Oh Dad ..." Alexis said, sympathetically and lightly touched his underarm.

"Yeah, she wasn't happy. She wasn't ready."

"It's a big step, dad, that takes time. You'll protect her, like you protected me, right?"

"Right."

Kate's phone, which still lay on the kitchen counter, rang with the intro from 'Rookie Blue'.

"Kate? Your phone? It's Ryan!" Castle shouted loud enough to be heard in the study.

"Just answer it, Castle" she answered briefly and went back into the discussion with Paula and Gina, which seemed to have calmed down significantly.

"Castle!"

"Ehm, Castle? Isn't that Beckett's phone?"

"Yeah, she said I could answer it."

"Are you sure, 'cos Castle, I don't wanna get in trouble..."

"No, it's really fine, what's the matter?"

"Body drop. Happened roughly three hours ago, co-worker found him."

"And?"

"Did you already see that article on page six?"

"Yeah, why?" Castle's voice got slightly more depressed in tone as he admitted it.

"See who wrote it?"

"Eddie Potter. Wait, Eddie 'The Stalker' Potter?"

"Exactly"

"And?"

"Guess who dropped dead today..."

* * *

**A/N: Coincidence? Really? Are you sure? Reviews? :-)**


	4. Report

**A/N: To address a review - yes, I leave out commas. Yes, I do it on purpose. Yes, I believe it helps with the readability of the text. Yes, I do it consistently. No, I am not going to change it. That's all.  
**

* * *

**Chapter 4 - Report**

_"Did you already see that article on page six?"_

_"Yeah, why?" Castle's voice got slightly more depressed in tone as he admitted it._

_"See who wrote it?"_

_"Eddie Potter. Wait, Eddie 'The Stalker' Potter?"_

_"Exactly"_

_"And?"_

_"Guess who dropped dead today..."_

* * *

"Well, that is ... something" Castle said and Alexis looked at him, questioningly.

"Yeah, yeah it is. Especially after he had just written that article about you. Your publicist and publisher might wanna be prepared, Castle. It might get nasty" said Ryan sympathetically.

"I'll see that they are"

"You wanna come along? You are just back, right?"

"Text Kate the address, we'll be there."

"Alright, see you guys later"

Castle ended the call and sighed. Now things were getting really complicated.

"Dad? What's the matter?"

Castle gestured towards the newspaper with the tabloid page open and explained that the author of the article about his and Kate's engagement had been found dead in his apartment.

"Oh, Dad, that's not good!"

"No, it isn't, Pumpkin" he responded and called out for Kate. She, Gina and Paula needed to learn about the recent developments and then they needed to head off to the address that Ryan had send in the meantime.

* * *

_**"Were you successful?" said a male voice on the phone and he nodded in confirmation, only to realize mere moments later that no one could possibly hear that through the line. **_

_**"Yes" he said "you wanted him dead within 48 hours and I did it within 16, that should suffice, shouldn't it?"**_

_**"This is fantastic" the voice said and his tone was more than satisfied.**_

_**"So we should talk about a raise of my payment, don't you think?" he said, confident that he deserved it.**_

_**"Return to the base. We'll sort it out as soon as you're here."**_

_**"Roger that" he said and ended the call. He knew the business conduct of his employer and was aware of the fact that work was rewarded when it was done neatly, professionally and especially if it was done faster than expected.**_

_**He started the engine of his brand new import car and took in the special 'new car' **_**_smell. He could get used to the amount of the payments. He might take some more jobs with him. They paid out very well. _**

**_He made his way through the busy New York City traffic in record time and left the city for the quiet place, two hours away. Their location for meetings. He would park his car there and would be asked to climb into a window-less van that would bring him even further. He didn't actually know where he actually was._**

**_He just knew how to get there. Or, p__arts of it. It didn't really matter in the end. All that counted for him was the payment. And he was sure that he would receive it as soon as he met his employer._**

* * *

Paula and Gina were not amused but neither shocked about the death of Eddie Potter.

Eddie had created himself quite a reputation, stalking celebrities and chasing after him in search of the photo that would be selling best. He didn't hesitate to hire private investigators that would do the dirtiest work for him so that his hands were clean.

Private investigators would snatch pictures of married politicians with hookers, would steal the privacy of wedding photos on secluded beaches from celebrity ceremonies, would find a way to get the first photo of a newborn celebrity baby.

Eddie Potter would just have used them in his articles, his own 'stalking days' over for quite some time. Still, famous or almost famous people feared him for who he was, a selfish, ego-centrical and greedy being that everyone despised. Yet, many wanted a bite from the cake that he called his own. Basically everyone whose photo could appear in the entertainment or gossip section of a paper would excitedly clap their hands at the news of Eddie's passing.

Not an easy situation to find suspects. There were at least more than thousand to begin with.

Kate and Castle were off to the location that Ryan had send to her phone. She had let him drive which he answered with a surprised smile but he could tell that she was mentally already exhausted again. The whole situation with Jerry Tyson still in her system, their engagement, her move to the loft, their wedding plans and her instinct that they might get an addition to their family. Unexpectedly. So she had given in. He felt the urge to comfort her somehow but nevertheless understood that she also was getting back into work mode, he could tell by the furrowed brows and the face full of concentration.

"I'm sorry I said that we would go" he broke the silence.

"Huh?"

"We're just back from the Hamptons, jeez, Kate we didn't even unpack, yet! And I've already agreed on going to a crime scene. You're not even officially back ... I ..."

"Relax, Castle. Ryan cleared it with Gates. We're just observing this time. We are on a list of potential subjects. He had just written an article about us and revealed our engagement ... or that's what people could assume when they read it and we don't issue a statement. Which we will. So we're just going there and we'll see if we can contribute anything. I still have two more days off..." she trailed off, mischief sparkling in her eyes.

"Why, Miss Beckett, do you have plans?"

"Why, Mr Castle, you wouldn't want me to?"

"Oh, Miss Beckett, I sure hope you have something planned."

"For once, there is the doctor's appointment ..."

"Oh, right..." Castle said, remembering her wanting to double-check her instincts.

"But you're right, I have something planned. It involves cherries, apples and ice cubes."

* * *

Ryan and Esposito were already at the apartment. Lanie was still working at the morgue so the always pleasant Pearlmutter graced them with his presence. They were standing in the victim's office where the body was found.

"Interesting one" said Pearlmutter and bent down to start his initial examination of the body "Why is it that you guys always get assigned the freaky ones?"

"Fate?" grinned Esposito.

"A sarcastic dispatching officer?" offered Ryan.

"The best homicide team in New York City?" boomed a low, male voice and they all turned around to find Castle standing in the door frame, Beckett following shortly after. They approached the body and Beckett eyed it from the corner of her eye and stood in a reasonable distance from it. Her instincts had once again kicked in and told her to better stay away. Ryan shot her a questioning look but she plastered over it with her questions about the victim's cause of death.

"The probable cause of death seems to be quite apparent, don't you think?" Pearlmutter said quietly while taking the liver temperature of Eddie Potter.

"I like the poetry in the note" said Castle and used his gloved right hand to pick it up. Ryan held an evidence bag open for him and Castle shoved the piece of paper into it, took the freshly zipped back and read:

"Talk is silver, silence is golden... I must say, there have been some intelligent people living in the Orient back in the day."

"We cannot deny the apparent message that is sent with it" Ryan added and gestured towards Potter's duct-taped mouth.

"Someone wanted him to shut up forever" Esposito said.

"And stop him from writing again. Or, holding his camera. These cuts are malicious." Castle said, inspecting them more closely.

"And he did it roughly three hours ago" Pearlmutter said, observing the temperature of the liver. "He is a slightly bigger man, but short at the same time. Body fat makes the body cool down slower."

Castle worriedly examined his stomach with his hands, receiving mildly amused looks from Ryan and Esposito. Kate still stood at a reasonable distance to the victim which her fiancée noticed. He turned around to her and arched an eyebrow high. He wordlessly mouthed 'Are you okay?' and Kate just nodded but gestured feeling slightly unwell.

"Anything else you can tell us?" Beckett asked and everyone could tell that Pearlmutter was about to say something cynical about him first having to get the victim into the morgue to say more but something in Detective Beckett's charisma held him off most of the time.

"As the matter of fact, I can't. The piece of paper is the only thing that evidence has found so far. Looks like the works of a professional."

"At least we know what we are looking for here, Pearlmutter, so this is something" Beckett said and even gifted the grumpy M.E. with a smile which he noted with some delight.

Ryan and Esposito got up and let the CSU team do their respective jobs around the office and the rest of the apartment.

"It should be easy to find prints here" said Castle and took a look around "it is so dusty, it is almost impossible not to leave any." Kate just grinned.

* * *

The ride to the precinct was quiet and uneventful. Kate felt the excitement of a new case wash over her like a summery rain shower and she was in full work mode as soon as the elevator doors opened on their floor. There went their plans for the rest of the day. But Castle actually didn't mind. He loved accompanying his fiancée to work and was delighted that he was still able to do so.

She needed him. She rarely admitted it but she did. And he was glad to help out.

The murder board was set up quite quickly and then the brainstorming began. As they had already predicted from Potter's profession, the list of possible suspects increased dramatically just by juggling around a few ideas as to who might be behind it. Naturally _not_ taking all of Castle's ideas into consideration which included 'Justice League Member going rogue', 'Annoyed mummy' and the almost famous 'ninja assassin'.

"What do we have?" said Beckett and rubbed her eyes. She abstained from her usual dose of coffee. She had read up that her usual dose of coffee would have effects on the baby. If that was even what was going on with her at the moment. Although her obvious problems being around the dead body earlier once again showed her that something was up. Indeed.

"Well, the smallest number of suspects can be found in the immediate surroundings of Mr. Potter" said Ryan and placed a list of names on the murder board. "He has a sister down in New Jersey, she is coming up to identify him, although basically everyone in the city that reads celebrity gossip knows who he is."

"Said the man who secretly or not so secretly reads Jenny's magazines" joked Esposito.

"Ha Ha" said Ryan and for a second he looked slightly annoyed but then his smile reappeared.

"Oh, don't worry honey milk" said Castle and Kate chuckled.

"Any ex-wives?" asked Kate and shot Castle a look that said 'We've had that earlier today, why not again'.

"One, but she died in a car crash in 2002" Ryan answered.

"Who are the other people on the list?" Castle asked.

"Basically the people he interacted with the most. One neighbor, his assistant, the subeditor, two editors, a bar owner of a bar across the street from his building ..."

"Lived a happy life" Esposito cut in.

"Basically."

"Fine, what else?"

"Looks like there are tons of celebrities that were or are still mad at Mr. Potter. He has destroyed families and careers, so that's that. It equals a ton of people that sought revenge for what he did" Esposito said "when you cover only the last six months, I can already name thirty possible suspects."

"That's a lot" said Castle.

"That's really a lot" said Kate "Try to narrow it down to people that were in the city. With celebrities you'll know. With all the others it'll be pure canvassing. See that you coordinate that."

"Done" Esposito said and Ryan nodded.

"And you guys .. shouldn't you be at home, enjoying two more vacation days?" Ryan asked.

"True" said Castle and looked at Kate expectantly.

"Fine" she said and a small smile played on her mouth.

"I'll go ahead and grab you a bear claw" Castle offered and Kate stayed behind, as did Ryan while Esposito was already on the phone.

"The tiredness is annoying. Jenny has complained about it quite a lot" he said sympathetically and Kate swallowed. Hard. Sometimes she forgot how observant her team was. And even if she didn't know for sure, she showed signs. And Ryan had read them in no time. Acting wasn't really her thing.

"How...?" she just stuttered out. Ryan just smiled knowingly.

"Do you know for sure?"

"Not yet, just a hunch. But a powerful one."

* * *

**A/N: I'll have to stop here. Not even a cliffhanger, haha! :D If you find the time, R & R please :) **


	5. Change of Plan

**A/N: We're picking up some pace now, so ... ready?**

* * *

**Chapter 5 - Change of Plan**

_"The tiredness is annoying. Jenny has complained about it quite a lot" he said sympathetically and Kate swallowed. Hard. Sometimes she forgot how observant her team was. And even if she didn't know for sure, she showed signs. And Ryan had read them in no time. Acting wasn't really her thing._

_"How...?" she just stuttered out. Ryan just smiled knowingly._

_"Do you know for sure?"_

_"Not yet, just a hunch. But a powerful one."_

* * *

_**The drive in the windowless van took an amount of time he couldn't measure properly. Maybe it was the blindfold that they asked him to wear or the otherwise also dark van, the monotonous noises of the vehicle of the fact that he started to listen to the beating of his heart - not having much else to do, really.**_

_**Naturally, they took his phone and sealed it in a bag. It didn't matter. It was just his work phone. He used to have a private phone but private contacts had gotten very rare and he couldn't risk any security breech by anyone from the outside reporting him missing when he was on a job or talking to the police about the fact that he regularly stayed away from his apartment.  
He didn't need any of that. He needed to remain a shadow, someone you didn't see. This was the essence of him and he wanted to keep it that way. So he agreed on them taking his phone. They took out the sim card and put it in a bag in front of his very eyes and sealed it.**_

_**Finally, the van came to a stop and the driver and the other man got out. The back door was opened and he was allowed to remove the blindfold which he did.**_

_**He stood in a very clean, very empty room that looked looked like a bigger, more fancy garage. The floor, walls and ceiling were painted in a stunning white and the sudden luminosity of the room blinded him. He blinked rapidly, the fluid streaming into his eyes at the sudden stimulus. **_

_**"This way" the driver said and showed him the door to their right, where the other man already stood. Both their attire so different to the white of the room. Both were wearing black boots, pants and shirts. The driver's arms were **_**_tattooed but he couldn't make out what exactly was shown. Then as he noticed, the driver pulled down his sleeve. _**

**_Better not ask him about it then._**

**_He followed the plucky sidekick who had gone ahead, deeper into the building. White, partially tiled floors made it look like a hospital. Which some parts might actually be. He wasn't sure what the purpose of the building was. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know._**

**_There were plates next to some of the rooms but they didn't give anything away on the contents of the rooms behind the doors. They went into a stairway and ascended the stairs. After two sets of stairs, they went through another door and then the driver opened the door with '047' on it and asked him to go inside. His company would be there shortly._**

**_Company, what a vacuous name for the boss._**

**_He shuddered thinking about him, about his face, his determination, experience. He created fear. Even within him, a former military. A former killer. No, a killer. Even he was scared. Not many men could do that to him._**

_**"You were very successful" the door opened and the boss came into the room. Just two chairs were inside of it, and a small table between them. Nothing else. Naturally, the chairs would be white. Not this time, this time he had been brought into a room with black ones.**_

_**"Thank you" he turned around to face the slightly older man. If he hadn't known better, he would have assumed that he was trained intelligence who had had enough of the job and had gone freelance.**_

_**"And you are right, you did it faster than I imagined. I have allowed myself the liberty of adding 10% to your salary."**_

**_"That's very generous" he said, not having expected such a big raise anyways. Thinking about how much that single job had cost the boss, the gesture was very generous._**

**_"It is well deserved. But it is also in the hope that you do some more, two easy ones and one that will probably be the toughest thing you ever had to do." He raised his eyebrow in answer to this statement and the boss went on._**

**_"Sam Canston, celebrity photographer. Does some private work and freelance work as well. He was Eddie Potter's business partner, although they didn't make that quite official. Most of the pictures Eddie used for his work, are his. His eyes need to go when he's dead."_**

**_The boss' voice hadn't left much doubt, still he asked: "You want me to cut his eyes out?"_**

**_"Is that a problem?"_**

**_"No, it's just unusual" he replied and remained slightly shocked by the lack of emotion the boss showed._**

**_"Jofee Hernandez. He is an event manager for a lot of the events the average celebrity would go to. Plus, he reveals the arrival times of certain celebrities and their hotels, sometimes even the room numbers. Has left a certain female celebrity in a very bad situation when bodyguards had to fight off very intrusive fans, surely you've seen the footage?"_**

**_He just nodded. He had. The Swedish-based actress had to call the police to prevent further fans from entering the building and especially the part of it in which she resided. In the course of the intrusion, she had sustained a black eye. Something that didn't look good on paparazzi photos at an award show the same night. She had been furious._**

**_"The last one will be more of a training situation for one of my newest arrivals. She needs to recover from her wounds first, but after that she needs all physical and mental training she can get. She has a lot of potential and she is the one to complete a very special mission. I need her to be extraordinary."_**

**_"That I think I can do" he responded. The boss handed him small manila folders with the information on Sam Canston and Jofee Hernandez. He studied them briefly and then nodded. That was all it took, the boss got up._**

**_"Payment as usual, if you complete all of them, there will be a bonus. Train her well. She is one of a kind."_**

**_"Will do" he said and got up as well. As usual the boss left him like this, without saying what this was all about. He didn't dare asking and quite frankly, he wasn't interested in the answers as long as the amount of money was adequate. And it was.  
_**

* * *

The car ride to the loft was quiet and both of them were deeply buried in their respective thoughts. Kate was absentmindedly nibbling on her bear claw, small crumbs falling into her lap. She didn't pay attention to them but in the back of her mind she thought about the mess that would be. She had asked Castle to steer them through the streets of New York City which he did without asking for reasons. As soon as he had seen her face when she emerged from the building, he had known that something must have happened. He would wait for her to tell him, which he was sure she would.

The loft was quiet when they entered it, Alexis and Martha obviously not home or otherwise occupied. Castle didn't even wanna think about what that entitled. He cringed at the thought.

Kate went straight for the bedroom and he couldn't blame her. Something was up and she needed some alone time which he would happily grant her. He had gotten better at reading her and being persistent at times when he needed to. They were making progress. Then the FBI called again. This time she had told him and he could tell that the idea wasn't fully out of her mind, despite all her explanations. He couldn't blame her.

What if her hunch was just that? A hunch? Would she reconsider the offer?

And what if her hunch was indeed what she suspected? Not a hunch but a very real baby? What would happen then?

Only two more days until they would know. His excitement had been real and she knew it. His support for her career would be, too. Even if that complicated things.

"Kate?" he called out for his fiancée and she responded with a soft but audible humming sound "do you want something to eat?"

"Nah, I'm fine" she responded and his glance fell on the discarded bear claw on the counter. First, no coffee. Then the refusal of the bear claw. Something was up. So he decided that it was time to pressure her into talking again. He went into the bedroom to find her lying on the bed, face buried in the pillow. Her hair a soft see of brown, the soft curls covering her back and parts of the pillow.

"Kate?" he asked softly. She just moaned in response. Yeah, something was definitely up.

He sat down on the bed, the movement weighing down the mattress on his side of the bed. She sensed his nearness and turned her head so that she could face him. Some strands of hair were not cooperating and fell onto her face. She tried to blow them away but they wouldn't go. Castle softly helped her with the stubborn strand of maroon colored hair and she sighed.

"Thanks"

"You're very welcome. So, will you tell me what is going on? What happened at the precinct?" he inquired, his voice determined not to let her distract him. She knew she was cornered but she had asked him to pressure her, help her develop.

"Ryan knows about my hunch" she mumbled, turning her head back to face the pillow once again.

"What do you mean, he know?" Castle asked, flabbergasted "Kate?"

She groaned and then slowly got up, turned around and sat on her side of the bed. She placed the pillow behind her and tucked up her legs. She then looked at Castle and answered his question.

"He realized how tired I've been. He saw that I didn't drink any coffee. He saw me staying away from the victim. He did the math."

"And..?"

"And... what?"

"And what did you say?"

"I said that it was nothing more but a hunch I had. But a powerful one."

"Kate, if you cannot wait until Thursday, we can always ask to reschedule. I'm sure that it's not a big deal..."

"Castle, if it already determines what I do, when I do it and how I do it NOW ... and we don't actually know if my body is just acting up .. what happens if we find out that I am ..."

"... pregnant?" Castle helped her out.

"Yeah, this..." she said and trailed off, the threat of drowning in her thoughts apparent.

"Well, I can speak from experience on this one, Kate, and it will probably determine everything you do from the moment you learn that it exists. Maybe even before, since you haven't touched your beloved coffee in days."

Kate looked at him in shock. She had known what a big step it would be but the simple explanation of her restrictions overwhelmed her all of the sudden.

"What if this is too much?" she asked him, tears slowly entering her eyes, blurring her vision. "What if I am not a good mother? What if I have no clue how to do this? Castle, what if I am not ready?"

"Shhhh, Kate" he had gotten closer to comfort her and pulled her into his arms, now sitting on the bed himself "you don't know any of that. You can'tr possibly know if you're a good mother of not until you are one. I've learned that with Meredith, she liked the concept of being one, but as soon as she got pregnant, she hated everything that was connected to it. Oh, not everything ... she liked the shopping. For herself and for Alexis. She spent hours decorating her nursery, too. Still, she hated being responsible for her and this is where I took over. And none of us had a clue. And I daresay Alexis turned out fine."

"She did" Kate smiled "she has become a fine young woman, Castle..."

"See? And she is MY daughter and I really had no clue. So I guess if I can do it..."

"... I can do it, too?"

"Precisely."

"Castle?"

"Let's see if we can reschedule. It's just 5pm. Someone should be able to find out of there is a mini-Castle inside of me."

* * *

Kevin Ryan sat at his desk and debated whether he should tell Javi about his conversation he had with Kate earlier. Although she didn't specifically say that he should keep it to himself, he felt like this was the kind of information he shouldn't share. Even if it was Javier.

Said Javier turned around to him and said: "Any luck narrowing down the suspects?"

"Nah, this is a hell of a list" the Irish detective responded and shrugged his shoulders. "A-list to C-list celebrities on mine, but I doubt that any of them would ruin their career. Even if it was to get rid of an abscess like Eddie Potter."

"Yeah, they would probably just hire someone to do it and then cover their tracks. But we've seen it happen so we might wanna see who held the biggest grudge against the guy" Esposito answered.

"We can cross of some celebrities who verifiably were on a movie premiere in Los Angeles today. I've spoken to an agent and he confirms that at least ten of the people we had on our list can definitely be ruled out" Ryan explained.

"That's bullshit, we're never gonna find the guy" Esposito moaned, as he flipped his page around only to find more names on the next piece of paper.

"We will, haven't we always?"

"Yeah, but bro, I could actually use some of Castle's weird theories right now. Why did they leave?"

"Oh, Javier, give them a break. They just came back from their holiday. Let them settle back in and then Castle can grace you with theories of alien abductions, invisible superheroes and other beautifully made up stories."

"What's with Beckett, anyway. No coffee?"

"Yeah..." Ryan trailed off.

"You're not still thinking that she's pregnant, or are you?" Esposito asked his partner.

"Um, Javier, I don't really know. She's been acting strange, even before the whole Tyson thing began. Let's just give her a break, yeah?" Esposito backed off but he wasn't convinced. Even if the pregnancy theory seemed to be far fetched with Beckett, you never knew.

* * *

Kate sat on the comfy chair in the examination room. Her feet dangled and she felt more nervous than she had ever felt. Thankfully, Castle was able to convince her own OB-GYN that Kate needed to know what was going on with her body. Today. The sooner the better. Castle sat on the visitor's chair and was reading a magazine. Nothing bothered him, the environment didn't make him cringe or feel awkward and those were some of the things she loved about him. He would be able to brush over unpleasant encounters, environments that would make other men run. He would just stay calm when it came to her. She had never appreciated it as much as she had now.

"Sooooooo" the vibrant voice of her doctor filled the room as she entered, "are you ready to find out what's going on?"

* * *

**Are you? ;-)**


	6. Change is Good ?

**A/N: A little fluff. Because you deserved it after I made you wait quite long. But then onto the drama ;)  
You'll recognize some of the dialogue from "Target" - and you'll see why I included it ;-)  
**

* * *

**Chapter 6 - Change is good ...?**

_Kate sat on the comfy chair in the examination room. Her feet dangled and she felt more nervous than she had ever felt. Thankfully, Castle was able to convince her own OB-GYN that Kate needed to know what was going on with her body. Today. The sooner the better. Castle sat on the visitor's chair and was reading a magazine. Nothing bothered him, the environment didn't make him cringe or feel awkward and those were some of the things she loved about him. He would be able to brush over unpleasant encounters, environments that would make other men run. He would just stay calm when it came to her. She had never appreciated it as much as she had now._

_"Sooooooo" the vibrant voice of her doctor filled the room as she entered, "are you ready to find out what's going on?"_

* * *

"I am not really sure" was all that Kate could respond to the question that her always vibrant OB-GYN had just asked her.

"Which is the exact opposite of what she was saying earlier when she made me find someone ... really _ANYone_ who would be willing to tell her what was going on" Castle piped in and chuckled. He earned a disbelieving look from Kate, who couldn't believe that he would so easily tell that story to her doctor. The latter didn't seem to mind it at all.

"Hi, I am Dr. June Summers. And yes, my mother has a wicked sense of humor," she stretched her hand out towards Castle and he shook it. Her vibrant, positive energy was something that he really liked from the moment onwards as she had stepped into the room.

"I guess I don't have to ask you, who you are," she smirked "since I've read pretty much all of your books. Nice to meet you, Mr. Castle!"

"Likewise" he responded and with a quick glance towards Kate he added: "We might wanna go ahead, doctor. She's all on edge again."

"No I'm not!" Kate responded, stubbornly, but the quick, nervous wiggling of her foot gave her away.

"Let's do something against your nervous foot, shall we?" Dr. Summers asked and as Kate nodded eagerly in response and Castle just smiled, she went ahead and sat down beside Kate.

"Looks like your blood pressure was perfect, that's very good," she started, looking at a piece of paper on a notepad "I'm going to ask you a few questions and see what we come up with, okay?"

"Okay" Kate responded.

Dr. Summers asked her about the last time she had her period, how she was generally feeling (tired? exhausted even?), if she felt queasy at any time of the day, her last sickness (stomach?) and if she generally registered anything out of the ordinary.

"She is tired all the time," Castle answered the second question for Kate, who barely managed to suppress a yawn that very second "she mostly drops dead when her head hits the pillow. The snoring drives me insane when I want to fall asleep..."

"Castle!"

"Sorry."

"You will be."

Dr. Summers watched their interaction with an amused smile on her face. Kate had been her patient for quite some time now and it was a very good change to see her as animated and happy as she was now. The otherwise so seemingly stern homicide detective had developed other sides to her, or had rediscovered them. Dr. Summers could see that this must have got something to do with the man currently accompanying her. The biggest surprise, apart from that moment a few months ago when Kate Beckett had come to her routine check-up.

* * *

_"So, Kate, is there anything that I can do for you?" Dr. June Summers asked her and observed her more detailed than ever. Something in the features of the detective caught her eye, she even behaved differently this time around. She fidgeted, her foot danced to an unknown rhythm and she looked nervous._

_"Kate?" she asked again, as the detective didn't respond._

_"Oh, yeah, yeah there is, actually," Kate said and examined on of the posters on the wall that showed the different contraceptives "I ... em ... I was thinking to switch my birth control. I ... I actually want to stop the pill all together."_

_"What brings this sudden change about, Kate?" the doctor asked her, looking over the half-moon shaped glasses on her nose, observing Kate's ever so tiny reactions._

_"I think I want kids. No, that's wrong. I should've said: I want kids!" Kate somewhat blurted out and a blush spread out all over her cheeks and she looked down._

_"That's fantastic news," Dr. Summers grinned and was genuinely happy to see Kate this ready for a different future. She had noticed the small and then bigger changes in the woman's behavior and now she knew that a new man must have been behind it all this time._

_"So, who's the lucky guy?" _

_"Huh?"_

_"Or is that just a general decision?"_

_"Huh, oh, no, there is a lucky guy but he doesn't actually know that ... I mean ... we're safe both ways, extra safe so to say ... and I thought I just stop ... and I'll tell him as soon as I am back to normal and ..." Kate rambled and Dr. Summers just nodded._

_"Alright, lets see how you are doing. Sit back and relax."_

_Kate just grinned. _

* * *

"Tiredness, feeling queasy, the last period more than two months ago, no wish to drink coffee and a sudden craving for cinnamon rolls," Dr. Summers summed up the answers that Kate had just given her.

"Yeah, that's basically it. I started to do the math and I figured ..." Kate trailed off.

"But then a lot of things happened, stressful, unexpected things," Castle explained, not going into detail, "and now we are here because it was impossible to wait two more days."

"Apparently," Dr. Summers grinned as Kate's foot resumed its eager tapping movement, "are you okay with him being here when I do a check, Kate?"

"Oh, eh, yeah, of course" Kate stuttered, surprised by the question. Why else would she have brought him, just to have him wait outside, anxiously running around, driving the nurses crazy?

"Your uterus has grown," said the OB-GYN after some minutes of the examination "and all else looks pretty good, too."

"Pretty good, meaning what?" Kate asked, still unsure.

"Your instincts deserve all the awards, Kate," Dr. Summers answered and moved on to dispose and clean her instruments with the help of a nurse who had entered the room in the meantime "looks like you were right."

Castle beamed.

"Don't we have to do a blood test ... I mean ... to be completely sure?" Kate asked.

"Will do that in a minute," the doctor said and gestured the nurse to prepare the process "but the ultrasound will come first. According to the data you have given me earlier, we should be able to see your baby."

"Really?" Kate asked, completely in awe.

"Really, Kate" Castle said, softly caressing her cheek. A small tear made her way down the very same cheek and Castle caught it with his index finger. "Hey, hey Beckett, are you crying?"

"I might be..." she mumbled, fighting all the other tears that threatened to make their way out of her eyes and onto her gown.

"Go change back into your pants if you feel more comfortable that way, Kate. Also it won't be as cold," Dr. Summers advised and Kate slowly got up and tapped into the little adjacent changing cabin. Once Kate had put her pants back on, Dr. Summers asked her to lie down on the examination table that stood in a little niche at the other side of the room. She asked Kate to raise the hem of the gown, prepared her for the cold of the gel and put some on Kate's stomach.

"Let's see..."

Kate could feel Castle shift beside her head, he was as excited as she was, even if he had been there once before, with Alexis. It was this sensation all over again, she could tell by the way he held her hand, by the movements he made, by the aura he created.

* * *

_"Tell me what happened with Douglas Stevens..."_

_"I appealed to his humanity..."_

_I didn't think you had that side to you._

_When it comes to the people I love I do."_

_The more layers of the Beckett onion that he had peeled, the more she got to see of him. Sides she hadn't known were there. Sides she might not have wanted to see and might not have seen if it hadn't been for the circumstances, however, she was glad that she learned about them. _

_Other people might have turned away from him after such an event. She wouldn't. Because she knew about the grey areas between the black and white parts of the world, understood that the coin had two sides and that the challenges of certain situations could create a certain dynamic, a rhythm, a pattern from which we cannot always escape._

_"You know what I still remember?"_

_She had looked at him expectantly. His voice had been so soft, so tender. So full of love and adoration for someone, someone that wasn't her. She was curious to learn what he would say next._

_"When Alexis was born, they handed me that tiny person, all bundled up. She just ... stared up at me. And when I looked down at her this feeling hit me. Like I've been struck by lightning. It was love. That instant, inexplicable love you can only feel for your child. In that moment I knew ... I knew that my life ... had changed forever."_

_This confession had done it._

_She started to see him as a future husband and she started to see him as a father. She realized how far he would go for the people he loved and why that was. Because the love that he was feeling, it wasn't just a spur of the moment kind of love. _

_The way Castle loved his daughter went beyond anything that Kate had ever heard, had even gone beyond the things that her dad had told her about her mother and how he had loved her so very much and still did._

_Something in the way Castle spoke about the birth of his daughter, something in the way a small smile appeared on his face during a time of need, during her abduction, something in all that told her that their child would be equally loved and protected for as long as they lived._

_This made her feel inexplicably safe._

_The feeling of safety in an environment in which nobody could ever feel absolutely safe but she felt it, the rightness of this very moment. She was thankful that he had shared this precious memory with her._

_A myriad of emotions had danced on Castle's face in this instant, fear, worry, love, hope, tenderness, softness, hardness, anger, rage ... it had all been there, combined in the small arch of the corners of his mouth and in the moisture in his eyes._

_He could never lose any person he loved. He simply wouldn't allow it._

_And she felt like he shouldn't.  
_

* * *

"Do you see the dark, round shape here?" Dr. Summers indicated a spot on the monitor and Kate nodded.

"The small, round form in there, that's the yolk bag. The other, bigger round form within that dark shape ... that's your baby. Congratulations, Kate!"

Like Castle's proposal had stunned her to silence, this revelation once again did it. She was unable to say anything but small sobs could be heard and Castle buried his face in the crook of her neck as he hugged her from his weird angle close to her head.

"Really?" she managed to choke out after a while and Dr. Summers just nodded, confirming it once again.

Dr. Summers retreated from the couple for paperwork and also to give them a little moment to digest the information.

"Wow," Castle said, still stunned by the confirmation of Kate's tickling spidey senses, "you were right."

"Really, Castle?" she sat up and grinned "_NOW_ you tell me, that I am right?"

"Jeez, Kate ..." She silenced him with a kiss. Grasping for any way to explain how happy he was right this very moment, Castle tried to say something but looked rather funny with his mouth rapidly opening and closing. Kate enjoyed it for quite a while but then she simply said:

"I know."

* * *

**A/N: Help me with any medical mistakes? Never been there ... you know? ;)**


	7. A Tale with a Tail

**Chapter 7 - A Tale with a Tail**

_"Wow," Castle said, still stunned by the confirmation of Kate's tickling spidey senses, "you were right."_

_"Really, Castle?" she sat up and grinned "NOW you tell me, that I am right?"_

_"Jeez, Kate ..." She silenced him with a kiss. Grasping for any way to explain how happy he was right this very moment, Castle tried to say something but looked rather funny with his mouth rapidly opening and closing. Kate enjoyed it for quite a while but then she simply said:_

_"I know."_

* * *

"Even though your spidey senses were tingling, Kate, that is quite a surprise," Castle managed to say and Kate just smiled "a very pleasant one, no doubt about that."

"Really?" she asked, arching one of her perfect eyebrows up in the air. The insecurity about herself and their relationship seemingly never left her, even though she tried exceptionally hard every day to fight it down.

"Really," he confirmed, taking in her incredulous look "you're not getting second thoughts here, are you?"

"No, no, Castle, I am just wondering if you really want a complete do-over, I mean, you've been there and all..."

"Yeah, you're right. But we've discussed this multiple times and nothing could make me happier than have this little Castle 2.0 with you..."

"Castle 2.0" she snorted but then laughed whole-heartedly.

"Do you have anything against this beautiful nickname?" Castle said and she stopped laughing.

"You're serious? Castle 2.0? No, Rick, like I told you before, in Nevergonnahappenland..."

"Hate to interrupt you, Kate, but we need to discuss the next steps," Dr. Summers disrupted their little back and fourth that she had witnessed within the last minute.

"Sorry, we're listening ... aren't we?" Kate said to Castle and he snapped his mouth shut and turned around to face the OB-GYN.

"We're listening" he confirmed.

Dr. Summers then spoke about important nutrition and malnutrition mistakes which were common, pregnancy vitamins Kate should take and some useful tips to avoid morning sickness, which Kate hadn't experienced so far. Other than her immediate reaction to the last victim she had to see, there was no morning queasiness apart from quick moments after she had gotten up in the morning. She had always claimed that they were nothing. Now she knew otherwise.

"It's a little fluttering in my stomach and some sort of nausea overcomes me for a couple of seconds and then it is gone again. Is that my morning sickness, is that all I get?" Kate asked, completely unsure how to classify the sensations that she had been feeling.

"Oh, I wish I knew, Kate. Some women go through their whole pregnancy without ever having the need for a rapid run to a toilet or sink that is nearby. Maybe you're lucky, but I really can't tell you. Every woman is different, every female body is different. But it can't hurt to have some dry crackers and water by the bed" the doctor answered and Castle nodded vigorously. Kate remembered that he had been there when it had happened to Meredith.

"I see you're in good hands there" the OB-GYN smiled as she took in Castle's knowing reaction.

"She is" Castle said and kissed Kate's forehead.

"What is important is a healthy diet and naturally there are some things to avoid. Speaking of avoidance, we would need to talk about risks at work..." Dr. Summers said and Kate immediately realized that chasing after suspects would not be her job anytime in the near future. "It's important to minimize the risks at your workplace. Now I understand that your whole work is principally a risk and I would understand if you didn't want to be limited to desk duty for a longer period of time but ..."

"No, I get it, doctor, I really do. Sometimes we're just out to interrogate someone and all of the sudden a gun is drawn or a baseball bat is swinging by close to our heads, it happens. You're right, minimizing the risks is what I should do." Castle shot her a surprised look which said '_Who are you and what did you do to Kate Beckett?_' but she gave him her look-look and he turned back to face Dr. Summers once again.

"Your Captain needs to know, too."

"And into the woods we go" Castle said and his face fell.

* * *

_**It had started as a challenge. A challenge to find a business opportunity. He hadn't always been a business man but he had always known how to make the best out of a given situation. Whenever his mother seemingly caught him lying, he would be able to spin a story around his actions the would believably explain everything plausibly and thoroughly. He rarely didn't escape such a situation.**_

_**He specialized in real estate but once the industry slowly scattered into small pieces and the prizes for the properties fell drastically, he decided to leave the sinking ship and find another way to specialize.**_

_**As soon as the first soldiers had returned from their respective war places, he had recruited the most stable and reliable ones for his growing business and had turned them into first class bodyguards and trained assistants for celebrities and politicians. Just like the ones you'd see on television behind your favorite author, actor or musician. The ones with the military hair cuts, broad shoulders, sunglasses and giving crabby smiles.**_

_**After little time he realized that he not only had found a niche to earn a lot of money with a reasonable investment into the people that he chose and educated, he learned that he could use some of the people that he had hired for other purposes than the sole protection (or security pampering as he called it) of celebrities.**_

_**He had decided to steer parts of 'Rent a Solution' towards a more sinister path, a path where no one would distinguish between black and white but him. There was always a reason behind people seeking the services he provided with his firm and he needn't understand them in order to have them executed.**_

_**He didn't question the money that he was given for the successful elimination of a target, the manipulation of the press or the identification of possible security leaks for the whole country. If it ever became known what kinds of operations the man and women behind 'Rent a Solution' were carrying into execution, the public perception of literally anything would drastically change.**_

_**So the first dictate for anyone getting involved with 'Rent a Solution' was discretion, followed by precision and patience.**_

_**Only the most loyal people belonged to the inner circle of the company. And the most hurt.**_

_**For the outside world, 'Rent a Solution' looked like a rather normal black ops contractor for former members of the forces, but the specially trained special forces that he handpicked himself served different purposes. And he only used them if high-profile customers sought his services. It had happened that the senator that was currently groomed for president secretly made an even more secret phone call, hiring an assassin to kill a NYPD police detective. As that didn't pan out, he asked for a do-over as soon as he cleared the situation.**_

_**So even people way up in the social hierarchy needed a reliable, secret and discreet way of dealing with things. If only he could talk about it, maybe even write a book that exposed them all ... but as the money was flowing so nicely, he didn't even actually consider it. He just executed. Or had people execute for him.**_

_**He looked down onto the sleeping female person in the bed. Her wounds were healing nicely and she was making good progress in general. Shortly, he would sit down with her and explain the **_**_situation. _**

**_That she was needed._**

**_To kill the man that she loved._**

**_Because the conviction would take too long. And it had to look like the authorities had nothing to do with it._**

**_It would be her job._**

**_If she was willing to take it._**

**_Of which he was very, very sure. _**

**_Because she was hurt.  
_**

**_He quietly left the room and didn't look back._**

* * *

"I really have no idea how to tell Ryan and Esposito," Kate said as soon as the doors to the loft had closed behind them.

"I think the truth might be a good start" Castle suggested, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Oh really, Castle, does that mean you don't mind me saying: 'Hey guys, Castle knocked me up?'"

"Well, maybe not just like that," Castle said and went ahead into the kitchen, checking the contents of the fridge and cupboards and immediately scribbling things on a notepad.

"What are you doing?" Kate asked him after a short visit to the bathroom. Come to think of the recent revelations, she had indeed already experienced an increase need to pee. Came as a prize for drinking enough fluids mostly but now she better.

"The peeing part will get even funnier," remarked castle and looked up to her, "especially when Castle 2.0 will put all his or her weight on your bladder. Ahhh, the middle of the night pees..."

"Castle!" She almost shouted and added, "really, what are you doing here?"

"Just checking if we have enough healthy food in the house?" He shrugged his shoulders but beamed at the same time. He would spoil her rotten with everything and if that hadn't been apparent before, he counted on it showing just now. She could tell and tried to brush it off.

"Healthy..." She snorted.

"Yes, healthy. Not stacking old takeout cartons in there which have grown their own alternative universe on them like they used to be piling up in your fridge, although I would never actually be able to live off fruits all the time like other people do..."

"The whole juicing thing isn't even half bad, Castle. PI had me try it. Helps to eat fruits and veggies you don't normally eat because they blend in so well..."

"If your nutrition plan has room for it, why not..." said castle but Kate could tell that he wasn't too impressed and wanted to avoid the whole topic of PI and his sudden involvement with the family. Naturally, he had asked Esposito and Ryan to do a background check on him. It didn't take Kate very long to figure out that the boys had been sent on a secret mission and the conversation that followed between her and her fiancée had been pretty serious.

* * *

_"I cannot believe you actually asked the boys to snoop around in PI's life."_

_"Oh come on Kate, not that again. I know that it might look like I am over protective..."_

_"It MIGHT look like you are?"_

_"Humpf" was all that he managed to say to that._

_"Look Castle, given the circumstances I understand that you wanna be extra sure that it is safe for Alexis to be around the guy. I really understand it and it is actually very sweet that you care as much. But don't you think that you are over reacting? Did anything even come up that would justify it after all?"_

_"No" he had to admit and looked like a puppy that had been found peeing in the living room._

_"Look, Castle, I really understand that you are worried. But Alexis has to find her own way and she is going to be more careful after what happened to her. She is an intelligent and responsible young woman and will use her judgement wisely. And if PI deserves her judgement, then he should also deserve yours. All the mistakes she is gonna make ..." Castle looked at her with a pained look, " all these mistakes are her own. And she needs to make them to become a even better and even wiser person. She'll learn from them."_

_"Is there anything you have done that you regret?"_

_"Apart from the one time I was drunk driving and maybe my tattoo ... And one or the other boyfriend I have had, I guess ... Well, I guess that's pretty much it. I learned from them all..."_

_"Demming" Castle chocked out and it sounded more than a curse. Kate just smiled benignly and turned around to hide her chuckle. She was actually kind of glad he hadn't picked up the mention of her tattoo. Given how much he liked it as soon as he found out where it actually was ... and how much it turned him on ... she was glad that it existed.  
_

* * *

"Homemade tonight?"

"Any suggestions?"

"Something light to break the news to Alexis?"

"What news?" Alexis voice chimed in and Castle turned around and looked at Kate, panic-stricken.

"Yeah, what news?" asked Martha, who had followed Alexis into the kitchen, her arms full of several shopping bags. Alexis carried some as well, although she apparently hadn't gone wild while shopping with her grandmother. Castle still looked at his fiancée, unable to find words. His still panicked facial expression told Kate that he wanted her to take over but she wasn't having it.

"No, Castle, that one is yours" she said quietly and he let out a deep sigh.

"Which one is yours? What does this even mean? Does anyone care to tell us what's going on?" asked Martha, registering the small smile that played around Kate's mouth and she immediately knew that whatever Castle would be discussing with his daughter wasn't going to be half bad. At least not at first. She still wondered what it could be.

"Castle?" said Kate with a warning undertone since Alexis' brows had already furrowed and she looked at him with inquiring eyes.

"Why don't we take this into the study?" Castle said carefully.

"Okay?" answered Alexis and went ahead. Castle shot Kate a look full of reproach and she just smiled. That was a conversation Castle needed to have with his daughter and she had figured they needed to be alone for that as well. Even though Martha looked like she would dart off into the study at any second. Castle followed his daughter into the study and as soon as he was out of hearing range, Martha couldn't keep the curiosity to herself:

"Kate? What is going on?"

* * *

_After her appointment she went home to her apartment to __think. Dr. Summers had cleared her to drop the pill completely and she wasn't ultimately sure if she wanted to do it or not. All she knew was that she was in a committed relationship and this required her to venture out of her comfort zone from time to time. This would be one of those situations._

_She needed to tell him as soon as possible, too. Deciding against the hormones was one thing, the possible results were another. That wasn't anything to be taken lightly or something where one could leave their respective partner our. That was a decision that needed careful reflection and as she had done her part, it was now time telling him._

_So she called him over. His voice had been full of concern and she tried to smooth it down and reassured him that it was just something she wanted to talk about that she needed to do in person. As soon as he stood in front of her, she didn't really know how to begin and nervously played with the long sleeves of her shirt._

_"Kate, what is it?" Castle asked, the worry visible on his face. The silence that answered him didn't reassure him at all so he took a step closer to her, careful neither to invade her space when she hadn't allowed it, nor to disturb her thinking._

_"Kate?" he asked again and put his hand under her chin to make her look into his eyes. "What is it, is it serious?"_

_"Yes," she simply said, feeling him shiver. He was always so afraid, always so afraid she might turn around and leave when the opposite was the case. He just didn't know that it had nothing to do with getting cold feet. "I had an appointment with my OB-GYN today and I have decided on some changes I wanted to talk to you about."_

_"Okay?" he asked cautiously, unable to foresee what she might want to come up with._

_"I told you that in my relationships I liked to keep one foot out of the door, just in case ..."_

_"... just in case it got too serious or you wanted it to end more easily?" _

_"That's ... yeah, basically that," she retorted and started to walk around the room. He let her. She needed the space._

_"This time I don't want to get out." Castle didn't think there could be something more satisfying or something that made him more happy than her saying 'I love you' but this came pretty close. She actually admitted that she loved him more than any other of the men she had been with and he had seen her with. This satisfied him to no end, as he hadn't liked most of them too much._

_"Really?" he beamed and looked at her as she worked her bottom lip with her teeth._

_"Really" she said._

_"And how does your doctor fit that equation exactly?"_

_"You said you wanted to have the option," she started, suddenly very insecure again "you know, to have children and I ... I thought ... I thought about it and I think I ... well I am cleared to drop the pill all together and I wanted .. I wanted to know what you thought about it?"  
_

* * *

**_Tori Ellis opened her eyes once again. Still the same room. But something felt differently. She felt stronger.  
_**

* * *

A/N: I feel like the whole "babies" discussion could actually have happened on the show and we didn't get to see it .. at all! I feel like it fits the otherwise ridiculous events of 'Squab / The Human Factor and Watershed' in so far that I think Castle's hesitation could have fueled Kate's insecurities in the last arc of season 5 and I didn't understand where they might be coming from. So take this as an explanation that I offer you here.

I also feel like the events of 'Significant Others' were just dropped and then re-discovered without any development or explanation in between. I hated that :(

Other than that, they were quick in producing Castle 2.0 and this is something that I know can work. Have seen it with friends. Dropped the pill, tried their luck for three good weeks and that was it ;-)

If any name is similar to another fiction you're reading, it must be purely coincidental. The only other stories I currently read are by Liv Wilder and Flashpoint33 - If I haven't borrowed the name from there unconsciously, then it is pure coincidence.

... _AAAAAND_ thank you so much for pointing out the medical mistake I included. Consider it an unknown territory for me. I hope it didn't bother you guys too much - I'll just leave it as it is. Hope that's ok!


	8. The Comeback

**A/N: I am shocked that I have kept you waiting for almost a month and I apologize. Real life intruded with full force and I wasn't inspired to write and actually couldn't be bothered to, either. I briefly felt like I was in a Castle episode myself, this is still not over. I hope you can forgive me? Also, ****I am currently co-writing a season 6 speculation fic with WriterLeigh, you should follow her to be notified when that's posted. It's epic, it has almost all spoilers, it has a case and it has some footage from the DVD's featured in it. So if you wanna check that out, go ahead and give her a follow.**

* * *

**Chapter 8 - The Comeback **

"Really?"_ he beamed and looked at her as she worked her bottom lip with her teeth._

_"Really" she said._

_"And how does your doctor fit that equation exactly?"_

_"You said you wanted to have the option," she started, suddenly very insecure again "you know, to have children and I ... I thought ... I thought about it and I think I ... well I am cleared to drop the pill all together and I wanted .. I wanted to know what you thought about it?"_

* * *

**_"Welcome back once again, Tori," a soft female voice said and Tori's fluttered fully open to see who was talking to her, "nice, hello there Tori. How are you feeling? Does anything hurt?"_**

**_"I am not sure, my leg feels ... a little bit weird" Tori answered, her voice still rasp and weak._**

**_"We had to use quite a few stitches there but I would not worry too much," the woman said and fetched a glass of water with a straw in it. Not having realized just how _****_thirsty she was, Tori gulped down a large amount of it, almost emptying the glass._**

**_"That's good," the unknown woman said and placed the cup back on an adjacent table, "do you feel awake enough to speak to someone?"_**

**_"Yes," Tori answered, full of hope that she might finally get to know the person that had brought her here. Maybe she would even learn as to why she was still alive and what her condition was._**

**_"Wonderful, he'll be right in, you're feeling hungry?" Tori just nodded and the woman disappeared though the door. A couple of minutes later, said door opened again and a man entered the room. Tori estimated him for about mid- to end forty, the grey strands in his hair indicating his age. He had soft features but his face gave away the determination with which he did things, with which he did everything. Tori could only guess that it probably was better to not interfere with his business. She didn't plan to._**

**_"Tori," he welcomed her like an old friend even though she was sure she had never seen him in her entire life. The familiarity stroke her with an all too known jab in the guts. She hadn't even allowed this person to call her by her first name, yet he did. She hadn't given him permission to 'rescue' her from her journey into a state prison and she wasn't entirely sure who allowed all the medical procedures that had been done so far. Clearly, it hadn't been her choice. But still she was curious to learn what he might have to say._**

**_"Go ahead," she instructed the man, trying to keep a least a little control over the situation._**

**_"You might have already guessed that you were taken from the transport to the state prison you were supposed to spend time, correct?" As she simply nodded, he continued to explain what had happened next, "I had you rescued from this convoy as I supposed you would be interested to work for me instead of going to jail..."_**

**_She snorted. "How is this supposed to work? This...," she gestured towards her face, "this is still my face. Someone will eventually recognize who I am. How is that supposed to work?"_**

**_"I am glad you're asking me," he answered, his tone clearly mocking her. How he could be in a position to do that, Tori could only guess. She tried to wait for more but her patience was shortlived those days._**

**_"Well, it is quite simple Tori, you have two options. Option One, I have had someone take you from that police convoy for nothing, spare you from prison for nothing because you decide you wanna run and go to prison of your own will and rot there. Option Two, I have had someone take you from that police convoy, nurture you to health and will have someone modify your appearance so that no one is able to tell that it is you. You would be trained to be working for me and the payment is .. quite acceptable. Targets are customer's choices but sometimes I choose, too."_**

**_"Target as in ... killer?" she asked, just to be sure._**

**_"Precisely."  
_**

* * *

**_"_**_Nothing else was more fitting than the deer in the headlights the moment Kate had told him she had been cleared to drop the anti baby pill and actually didn't have a problem trying for a baby. With him. He had been startled to say the least. For several long seconds, he resembled the aforementioned critter in a striking way. That was something he needed to digest as it had been a real surprise._

_"Castle? Rick?" she had said when he hadn't answered for what now felt like several minutes._

_"Sorry," he responded, still a little bit dazed, "I am just surprised. I didn't know you had any such plans. When ... when did you decide you wanted that?" _

_"Remember that case with the spaceship at that convention?" Kate asked him._

_"No need to remind me of that, it was shiny," he responded, a dreamy expression on his face but he suddenly got all sobered up again when the image of his daughter in her too revealing costume crossed his mind._

_"Thinking about that costume Alexis wore, aren't we?" Kate teased him when she realized what had sobered him up._

_"If we have a girl, there is no way I let her wear anything like this, I swear," he said, turning back to face her. But Kate just stared him in the eye, unable to grasp what her boyfriend had just said. Did he actually mean...? _

_"If we have ... Castle, does that ... do you really?" she stuttered, unable to form full sentences._

_"If I really ... you cannot be asking that, Kate," he answered with a stern look that sent shivers down her spine and her guts twisted uncomfortably before a wide grin formed on his lips and he closed the distance between them to pull her into a tight, secure hug. Slightly nibbling on her ear he added: "How could I not love that, tell me?"_

_"I ... I guess ... I guess I knew that, somehow," Kate responded, suddenly ashamed of her lack of confidence in the relationship. All of the sudden it had had her in a tight grip again and she was flabbergasted it happened after she consulted her doctor. On her own. Which was huge._

_"It still was a somewhat bold move," he mumbled into her hair and even if he could not see it, he knew that her perfect eyebrows had just shot up high, "to talk to the doctor before you talk to me?"_

_"Look, Castle, I...," she broke free from his embrace with a little to much force and glossed over it by running her hands down his muscular arms, "It just felt like the right thing to do. It only occurred to me afterwards that you might not even like my solo attempt at this."_

_"It takes two to make a baby, Kate," he retorted, still being awfully calm for her liking.  
_

* * *

"The size of a prune, you say?" Martha smiled and patted Kate's shoulder for what felt like the seven hundredth's time. Kate had barely been able to escape the big hug that followed after her declaration of being pregnant and the shoulder patting was becoming too much, too. It as just a prune-sized human, that was all. At least that was what Kate tried to think when she ran the risk of freaking out at the enormity of her task.

"And Richard is trying to tell Alexis right now?"

"Yeah, that one is on him," Kate sighed.

"You're probably right about that," Martha grinned and winked, "is there anything I can help you with? I could always get some more crackers, I know they can be essential!"

"I appreciate the offer, but so far I seem to be doing just fine," Kate tried to brush off any overly protective concern the older woman might have just this instant but it didn't work. Martha was already excited for shopping trips to the most exclusive places and Kate swore to herself that as soon as she touched decoration and toys, she would get baby detention. For heaven's sake ...

"We could arrange a weekly delivery for supplies, though," Martha suggested and Kate looked up, "you know, where you order and pay online and get the groceries delivered into your home!"

"That's actually not such a bad idea," Kate admitted and Martha beamed.

Mere moments later, Alexis returned from the office and sprinted past them, up the stairs and the loud bang of the door to her old room indicated that she must have fled into it. Castle followed her soon after, heavily shaking his head.

"I thought she'd be excited," he muttered and both his mother and fiancée shot him an encouraging look.

"She will be, eventually," Kate said, patting his biceps as he approached her, "if I haven't found the time to adjust to the news, how is she supposed to do it? She's not gonna do it quicker than I do. She's a smartass, she'll understand how much work this is all gonna be. Especially if you wanna marry me before I turn into a landmass when I try to take a bath..."

Martha chuckled and offered to collect some addresses of fine tailors and bridal shops that could pull such a challenge off without hesitation, an offer for which Kate was endlessly grateful.

"I still feel I should go after her," Castle said after a while of staring silently onto the kitchen counter.

"She'll come around, she always has," his mother reminded him of one of Alexis' many good qualities. She forgave things easily, maybe too easily, but she did when she understood which impact they were going to have. So it might take a couple of days.

* * *

"Thank you for coming in, Mrs Stevenson," Ryan said sympathetically as the elderly woman sat down opposite to him. His partner, Javier Esposito, stood behind him, observing any reaction the woman might show. Right now she seemed to be calm but you never knew with the family. In some cases, an extra carton of cleenex had been helpful, sometimes handcuffs came in handy. Both detectives were curious to see which route this woman would go.

"I can't say that I am very surprised," she started before Ryan had even asked a question, "with everything that's been going on, with all the hate he constantly received it was just a matter of fact until someone found the need to kill him. Simple as that."

"Simple as that?" Ryan asked incredulously.

"Detective, if you had known my brother as I have, you would understand that he has always been a nosy little douchebag that loved to spy on people and use the information against them. Even as a kid, the other kids hated him for that. If half of the rumor I heard are legit, he must have had a lot of enemies. Don't try to deny that you're currently looking at a list of over one hundred suspects, isn't that right?"

Ryan had to give her that she was very observant and intelligent, despite her slightly shaggy looking outward appearance. He nodded.

"I knew it," Mrs Stevenson sighed, "see, my brother never really understood why people would hate on him. In his mind, he was doing the right thing. Exposing people for what they were, cheaters, liars, misfits. He always argued that he simply made people aware of the things people did, that there were some secrets that should not exist. That was his logic and it had gotten to a point where you would not wanna argue with him about that. Those discussions could become violent, and even if I was the bigger sister, his muscles defined our ranking order."

"What can you tell us about the more recent Eddie Potter, Mrs Stevenson?" Esposito asked after having taken a look at his notepad.

"Maybe not much more than you probably already know," she started, "even if Eddie predominantly MADE the tabloid, the tabloid had a rampant interest in the person that was my brother. I cannot necessarily say that it has been a joyride. Naturally, they contacted the family, too. I must have declined interview offerings from at least 10 different magazines or online sites. Other members of my family were greedier, searching for a fast way to make money. They didn't actually lie about their recollections of my brother, but they certainly didn't help improving what people thought my brother. He eventually realized that he didn't want to _**change**_ how people saw him. That was a couple of years ago when he turned into a complete jackass."

"Any girlfriend?"

"Dead wife and if any woman has touched him recently, I wouldn't know. Eddie and I haven't spoken in a couple of months," Mrs Stevenson said.

"Thank you Mrs Stevenson. We might get back in touch with you as the investigation enfolds, we hope you continue to support us there," Ryan got up and Mrs Stevenson understood this as the signal that she was free to leave as well.

"Of course, detective. As misguided or morally condemnable he might have been whilst he was still alive, no one can walk after murdering someone else. So I am more than happy to assist if I can," Mrs Stevenson answered and gladly accepted the card Ryan offered her. She shook both their hands and promised to be available for future phone calls.

As soon as she had stepped into the elevator Esposito turned towards his partner and said, "Can't help it bro, but that was a weirdo."

"Yeah," said Ryan, "we might have seen worse but this one definitely's got a screw loose."

"Did you see how she offered to help us, how often did that happen in all these years we've worked together and the person saying it did NOT have something to hide?" Esposito asked.

"Never, I think it never happened."

"Exactly."

* * *

_**The photo studio was dark. Sam Canston stood in it, developer in one hand, and worked on his most recent photographies. He had never really understood the profession of a paparazzo but when he learned how much money could be made if you were really, really good at it, he had eventually given in. Not that he hadn't already been successful, he owned an established photo studio and had been the reliable go-to photographer for all kinds of occasions, weddings, baptisms, engagement pictures, family parties ... but had to sacrifice most of those jobs when he joined the dark side. Now celebrities turned to other professionals and they had almost all become his enemies, people who probably wished that all kinds of diseases came upon him in a fortnight.**_

_**He didn't worry too much about it, though. Money still came in and his friend Eddie Potter had made sure that he worked. Mostly for him, and it payed off nicely. He hadn't heard from his friend in two days and was slightly worried but more due to the fact that he hadn't called with any new job details. Sam decided to give him a call as soon as the pictures were developed, which should not take long now.**_**_  
_**

_**As his studio was so dark, he didn't even realize that there was a second person in it, melted into a corned between the wall and a cupboard. The slow even breaths he made didn't attract Sam's attention as the noise of the air conditioning was loud enough to coat them. Slowly stepping out of the shadows, the man retrieved the shiny silvery knife from behind his back and soundlessly moved closer. As he stood behind the photographer, he smiled, raised his arm and quietly said: "Boo."**_

_**Then he sliced up his throat like a juicy papaya and Sam Canston glided down onto the floor. The killer waited a couple of moments before stepping away and switching the light on, apparently destroying all the currently developing pictures in the room. **__**As he had done before, he waited for several minutes before he unfolded his roll of freshly cleaned and sanitized knifes. Some smaller ones would be needed to do as he was told. With exact precision he should be done in no time.**_

_**A little while later when he had finished his work and the eyes were safely stored away, he left a little printed note with the body saying: "A photograph can be an instant of life captured for eternity that will never cease looking back at you."**_

_**As he was about to leave the studio, the answering machine was busy recording a call that had gone to voicemail. A female voice started to speak to the recording device: "Hi Sam, this is Gina Cowell, listen, I might have a major deal for you, can you call me back as soon as you hear this? Thanks."**_

_**He made a mental note to see who this Gina Cowell was and left the studio, leaving no evidence behind. 'Let them find the bastard as soon as he began to stink,' he thought, grinned, and quietly fled the scene.**_


	9. Get me to the holodeck

**A/N: (Co-)Writing two fics at once is actually quite a challenge, I hope to be more persistent updating this one (there is a goal to achieve, right, right?) and the co-authored fic which should be up when you find this update. It is by WriterLeigh and myself (posted on her account) and it will speculate how season 6 might start with all spoilers galore in it so if you wanna give that a read and fangirl with us, just go ... over there .. and find it, will ya? I hope you're still on board with this one and will continue to find the time to write this piece :-) Thanks y'all!**

* * *

**Chapter 9 - Get me to the holodeck ...**

_As he was about to leave the studio, the answering machine was busy recording a call that had gone to voicemail. A female voice started to speak to the recording device: "Hi Sam, this is Gina Cowell, listen, I might have a major deal for you, can you call me back as soon as you hear this? Thanks."_

_He made a mental note to see who this Gina Cowell was and left the studio, leaving no evidence behind. 'Let them find the bastard as soon as he began to stink,' he thought, grinned, and quietly fled the scene.  
_

* * *

_**"I am really not sure if I understand," Tori Ellis said and confusion mingled with the determination to get stronger, fitter, healthier, more alive, "I really do not understand why you would choose me."**_

_**"Really?" he asked with a smirk and then handed her a picture. It was the one the police had officially taken when he was arrested. The background showed the height marks, the upper left corner said "NYPD". Even though she didn't look at the picture at first, she had a faint idea who might be on it. She took the picture into both hands, even the one with the IV needle in it, and looked at the all too familiar features of the face. He must have been asked to not smile or move, still he managed to grin on the picture. The mad grin for which he was feared. And loved. If it had ever been that? Tori wasn't too sure anymore and all of the sudden she realized that the mystery man that sat by her bad was convinced that she would be able to kill him.**_

_**"No," she said, "there is no way I'll do this."**_

_**"Ah, Tori, seriously, you cannot be thinking that what he felt for you was love. Even if you liked him enough to pretend that he did, Jerry Tyson is unable to do that. Which is why it has become our duty to erase him from the face of this earth."**_

_**"Our duty? Our YOUR duty?" Tori asked, slightly annoyed. She got a little exhausted and was tired of the indirect talk.**_

_**"Normally me and the members of my team are hired by people, wealthy people, powerful people. We do them a favor and the do us a favor once we're done with our part. It has worked perfectly in the past and I do hope it will continue working as good in the future. With you as a new addition to my team. I figured that a skilled former police officer might come in **_**_handy," the mystery man said and grinned happily._**

**_"You might be right but Jerry Tyson was sent into a highly secured state prison. I see no reason to kill him, he is never going to get out of there anyways," Tori tried to convince the mystery man but he simply shook his head as if he had information that proved otherwise._**

**_"What makes you think he cannot get out? As far as I am aware, he has helpers everywhere. He had you," he looked her straight in the eye and she blushed, unable to hide the truth in the fact he had just stated, "he has friends in this prison, powerful friends. And he has people on the outside that wouldn't mind getting him out of there when the time was right. Jerry Tyson is a patient man, as you might know yourself. He doesn't really care if it takes a few years, but eventually he will be walking."_**

**_"I still don't ..."_**

**_"You still don't think he would? Do I have to remind you that he was imprisoned in a state that does not have the death penalty. He will be sentenced for life, but really, is that any punishment for a person of whom half the prison is afraid?"_**

**_Tori couldn't retort anything on that one. She was sure the man next to her was exactly right._**

**_"And how am I supposed to kill him? You are surely not expecting me to go in, 'Prison Break' style, and assassinate him there and then?" Tori asked and the mystery man looked pleased. At least she gave it a thought, which was good._**

**_"I was thinking a little more the '24' way, with all the sneakiness and secrets game."_**

**_"Hm..."_**

**_"I can't expect you to answer me anytime soon, Tori, and that's okay. You thought, maybe still think that you love the guy. We all make mistakes like that but you get the chance to make up for it. And a new identity and new skills to do so."_**

**_"I'll think about it," she said quietly before sinking back into her pillow, "I am tired."_**

**_"Of course you are," he replied, "see you soon."  
_**

* * *

Martha generously offered to take care of the dinner, naturally contemplating everything Kate could and couldn't eat. Eventually they settled for takeout food and Martha ordered it, giving them a time frame from about thirty minutes.

Castle suggested a nice, warm shower and there was almost nothing Kate would have rather done than stepping under the slowly dropping water cascades of his ... pardon ... their luxurious shower. She went into the bathroom first, stripping down to her underwear and leaving a discarded pile of clothes near the hamper.

"Woman, you're too fast!" Castle called out from the bedroom and she chuckled.

"Maybe you're simply too old?"

"Ohhh, wait until I come in!"

"What's taking you so long anyways?"

"Checking my phone."

"Ah, right..."

"Kate?"

"Yeah?" she asked again, discarding her underwear as well and stepping into the spacious shower and turning on the water. Castle might have some too extravagant things in his ... oh well ... their loft which probably had a lot to do with too much money to spend and the addiction to extravagant things, but this panel in the wall next to the shower was the most convenient of them all. It hit the exact temperature you desired with several finger movements and the drops seemed to caress and wash the body at the same time. Castle stepped into the shower barely a minute after the exchange.

"Was it worth the wait?" Kate mocked him and he chuckled.

"Oh, I don't know. I tried to call Gina, 'cos she left me a voicemail saying that she called Sam Canston but he didn't pick up when she did. I might have left her a furious message on her machine just now, explaining my words from earlier again. I might have added that I would fire her if she didn't call to cancel her request as soon as she hears my yelling on her answering machine."

Kate just shot him a look that said 'Why are you working with your ex-wife anyways?' and as if he read her mind he answered "Because she is really good at her job."

Taking in her sarcastic snort and the look on her face he added: "Mostly!"

To prevent the atmosphere from turning into stressed and aggravated, he offered to scrub her back and held up the two shower gel options, vanilla and cherry: "Which one do you want, mamma bear?"

"Mamma bear, seriously? That was annoying the first time you used it, why would it not be now?" Kate asked.

"Just a thought. I will have to come up with a pet name, though."

"No, you will not. Castle 2.0 was not creative, I'd rather have you call me Kate at all times, Castle..."

Just this instant they heard a phone ring through the noises of the shower. The familiar ringtone of the Nebula 9 intro music made Kate giggle and Castle snort.

"Remember this rule that we have established?"

"Which one?"

"The one about phones not being allowed in the bathroom?"

"Pffft."

"Kate!" he almost shouted as she peeked out of the shower, trying to make out if her phone was in her pile of clothes. Some of the cooler air of the bathroom invaded the shower and he cringed as it hit him. The steam made it almost impossible for Kate to see her clothes and she furrowed her brows in concentration.

"Yes?"

"I am serious, you're not going to answer the phone now!"

"But Castle, it could be important..."

"What could be more important than a nice warm shower with your fiancée on your day off. And as it happens it is right after you found out you're pregnant. Come on, Kate, let it ring. And next time, you don't even bring it in here."

As she didn't make a move to get back into the shower, he peeked out of the shower like she did, his head hovering mere inches above hers, his eyes furrowed in concentration as to what she was looking at.

"Castle?" she turned around, shoved him back into the shower, closed the see-through door to the cabinet and glared at him.

"Yes?" he asked, pretending to be innocent.

"When I told you that I wanted to get rid of Boba Fatt because he was creepy ... I didn't mean that you were allowed to have Yoda instead!"

* * *

**A short and somewhat sweet one for you, you'll get more soon. Review me? :***


	10. Get me outta here!

**A/N: Are you still happy? Do you like to speculate? You can do so by checking out my second active fiction, co-written with WriterLeigh. But if you're spoiler free for season 6, do not ;-) It's called 'Need to know' and if you guys checked it out, we'd be honored :)) **

* * *

**Chapter 10 - ... get me outta here!**

_As she didn't make a move to get back into the shower, he peeked out of the shower like she did, his head hovering mere inches above hers, his eyes furrowed in concentration as to what she was looking at._

_"Castle?" she turned around, shoved him back into the shower, closed the see-through door to the cabinet and glared at him._

_"Yes?" he asked, pretending to be innocent._

_"When I told you that I wanted to get rid of Boba Fatt because he was creepy ... I didn't mean that you were allowed to have Yoda instead!"_

* * *

The argument about the necessity to have either a life-size Boba Fatt or a (just slightly) smaller Yoda in one's bathroom went on whilst they finished their shower, the banter slowly leaned more toward the sensual side as soon as Castle offered to use heavenly scented body lotion on her. He went ahead into the bedroom and his voice faded slowly with each step he made.

"..., and it has the best reviews to date when it comes to preventive effects. Already say goodbye to stretch marks you will never have and ..."

Kate smiled. It was very Castle-ish to go ahead and to a web search on stretch marks, maternity clothes or pregnancy vitamins. She wasn't too sure if she wanted a whole lot more of that and it dawned on her that as soon as Ryan and Castle would get together and ANYONE would touch any of those topics, they would escalate beyond anything that was bearable. Kate sighed and pondered upon a diplomatic way of intervening with this all too likely scenario.

"... and those baby genius toys look really promising as well ..."

"Uh huh," Kate hummed and walked into the bedroom, still only wearing a towel, her tanned, long legs accentuated by the white color of the fabric. When he turned around to face her, clearly still chatting about various possibilities of early childcare and education, his eyes where immediately drawn to the hem of the towel mid-thigh and he stopped in his tracks. His eyes scanned her whole figure and even if they had just showered together in total nakedness, he was once again taken by surprise how much he just loved to look at her. How she was the most beautiful woman in the world. For him. And now she was glowing with motherly pride, her stomach not flat and toned anymore but a little softer, mushy even. Her body was preparing to grow a person inside of it and Castle couldn't get enough of the softness and tenderness it added to the former too too edgy Katherine Beckett.

"Wow," he simply said, closed the distance between them and embraced her, resonating love, trust and passion off of him. Kate couldn't help but smile when she looked at him mere moments later.

"What's wrong?"

"You're ... you're sensational. And I cannot wait to see what an awesome human being we will produce."

"'Will' produce? May I remind you that the production has already taken place a few weeks ago? The next step is the ripening."

"Ripening. I like that word. Especially when it comes out of your mouth. Like 'salacious', I liked that one, too."

Just to tease him she stepped a few steps back to enlarge the distance between them and then she said seductively: "Salacious ripening!"

"Woman!" he growled before he threw her onto the bed. This was going to be a long, long night.

* * *

"I am sorry, Kev," Jenny said and shot her husband an apologetic look. He had just come back from an impromptu visit to Seven Eleven, carrying two large bags of comfort food. He threw the keys onto the small table near the entrance and sighed. Spring rolls were yesterday, Jenny had switched to all things chocolate recently.

"No need to apologize, Jen," he said as he took in the pleading and apologetic look she still wore on her face.

"I can't help it, it's really strong. I feel like I have to have it..."

"Stop apologizing, it doesn't bother me," Ryan said, placed the bags on the kitchen counter and watched as Jenny rummaged through the contents of the bags and retrieved a Mars bar, greedily ripped the packaging open and bit into the chocolaty goodness.

"Hmmmmm, that's really good."

"I'm glad," Ryan said and stored the ice cream into the freezer compartment of their spacey fridge.

"Did you bring the macadamia one?"

"Of course."

"And the dark chocolate one ..."

"... with the caramel at the core? Sure, Jenny, as you ordered."

"You make it sound so bossy," Jenny said and made a face which made her husband chuckle.

"You have every right to boss me around a little bit," he answered and softly kissed her forehead, "especially if you're doing all the work right now." He gestured towards her baby bump which had started to become more prominent in the recent weeks. Ryan could tell that his wife was still not satisfied with his answer, clearly contemplating apologizing again.

"Stop it right there, I am perfectly fine with getting you whatever you're craving. You're carrying another human around and if you have needs, I'll try my best to get you what you want. And now please stop apologizing and let me run you a nice warm bath?"

"Sounds wonderful," Jenny answered and Ryan went ahead to have the water running, "did you speak to Kate during the last few days?

"Huh?"

"I asked her if she wanted to do some baby clothes shopping a couple of days ago, did you hit a case again? She hasn't gotten back to be on that..." Jenny said and Ryan could tell that she worried she could have said or done something to offend the detective.

"About that,..."

"What have I done?" Jenny furrowed his brows in frustration and the corners of her mouth pointed south.

"You didn't do anything but I suspect Kate might have forgotten."

"Oh," Jenny sounded disappointed and Ryan wasn't sure whether to tell her about Kate's hunch but he decided to not keep anything from his wife.

"She's got a lot on her mind these days," Ryan said and Jenny, who assumed that he was addressing the recent developments in Kate's life including the appearance of their arc nemesis, nodded vigorously and sympathetically.

"I bet she has," she said and gently patted Ryan's arm.

"And on top of that she suspects to be pregnant."

"Kevin Ryan! What did you just say?"

* * *

_**Dark, sinister, dangerous. He waited in a dark corner that night, whispering quietly into his burner cell phone, reporting back to his employer. He didn't have any qualms killing people, especially not when he saw a reason for them to be dead. Whenever he had accepted a job, he made sure that they were just those ones that had a single target. He avoided at all cost to endanger innocent bystanders- which he considered a noble trait. **_

_**"Alright, will do," he said, his voice dark and determined.**_

_**He disconnected the call and tossed the burner phone after he had removed the sim card and had folded it in half. It was time to find out who this Gina Cowell was, that had called Sam Canston. He thought her name had rang a bell. He needed to make sure she didn't suspect anything or alerted the police too early when the photographer didn't call back in an acceptable time span. **_

_**He decided to look into the persona Gina Cowell and to be hot on her heels.  
**_

* * *

**A/N: The next chapter will be up today as well, review if you have the time? We'll pick up speed when Sam Canston is found which will happen pretty soon :)) **


	11. Thou shalt not kill

**A/N: Welcome to the death of Sam Canston ;)**

* * *

**Chapter 11 - Thou shalt not kill**

_He disconnected the call and tossed the burner phone after he had removed the sim card and had folded it in half. It was time to find out who this Gina Cowell was, that had called Sam Canston. He thought her name had rang a bell. He needed to make sure she didn't suspect anything or alerted the police too early when the photographer didn't call back in an acceptable time span._

_He decided to look into the persona Gina Cowell and to be hot on her heels._

* * *

Arlene Francis hadn't been able to sleep that night. One of her neighbors obviously stayed up all night as the light in the apartment was left on, shining brightly into her bedroom. She had considered to call the police several times but since she didn't have a noise complaint, nothing would have happened, right? Not until there would be a law against leaving your light on at night. Arlene had read about several interesting laws in the U.S., such as men not being allowed to wear a bathrobe without a waist belt publicly in Miami or a small town in Idaho where men are not allowed to wave at women whom they don't know. Somewhere might actually be a law that said not to leave the light on at night, especially if you don't seem to be at home. Arlene swore to herself that she would do some research on it. For the night she was content with closing her blinds fully and wearing an eye mask. You never knew.

When she awoke at 7:30 am the following morning, she completely forgot about the light in the apartment across the street that had lit up her bedroom. She got dressed, made herself a small breakfast and got ready for work when she realized that she had left her phone on her nightstand. Unable to leave it there for several reasons, she made her way back into her bedroom, quickly made the bed and then opened the blinds. She recalled why they were completely down and upon moving them back up again, she was curious to see whether the neighbor had still left his light burning. As far as she knew he did this often, his photography jobs required changing schedules and late night work. Arlene Francis glanced out of her window to find the light still burning in the apartment, in every room that faced her building.

She made a mental note to check if this was still the case later and left her apartment for work.

At the same time the answering machine in Sam Canston's apartment took another message: "Look, Sam, I know you're quite busy but this is actually getting more urgent by the minute. Can you please call me back as soon as possible? Oh, it's Gina Cowell again!"

* * *

_**He saw himself as a mixture of Robin Hood and God- taking from those that had to much and giving it to those, that deserved it way more. On top of that he had the arguable privilege of choosing who would continue to live and who wouldn't. He knew that others would find it arguable if they had known that he did what he did, he couldn't deny that morally there were several views to be considered in his case. He saw himself as a caretaker, a creator and a chastiser.**_

_**On his desk five manila folders lay, each labeled with different numeric codes, fogging the identity of the person in them. One folder was currently flipped open and a picture of Tori Ellis was attached to the left side of the folder with a black paper clip. The contents of the folder consisted of work records, health records and other collected personal information which served for character analysis. After all he needed to be sure to find the right employees for his business.**_

_**'Rent a Solution' was his tale of the rags to riches tale of someone that worked his way up to the top, or to what he considered to be the top, to be the most lucrative. Tori would be his diamond, his best-trained employee ever. He could feel it, most certainly she was a brilliant addition to his team. He contemplated when to tell her who was behind her abduction, her hiring, who wanted to see Jerry Tyson dead and who had basically chosen or pre-determined her to do it in the end. It was against his policies to reveal the name of the person behind the work that they were doing. Thus no one was in danger of being caught. No records, they were stored in his mind only. He kept his own identity a secret to everyone he was in contact with. Everything concerning 'Rent a Solution' was secretive, starting with who he was. Although he was fairly certain he must have made some mistakes in the early days of his business career that might be traceable. But not for the regular police forces, maybe not even for higher governmental forces. Nothing in this more and more capitalistic and ego centrical world could be taken for granted- so all secrets were game and in use.**_

_**He softly touched the outline of Tori Ellis' face on the picture he stored in the file and an almost gentle expression could be seen on his furrowed face, his youth withered away by the things he had seen and done. She was daughter he never had and never would have, Tori represented what he would have loved his daughter to be- strength, passion, willpower, trust, loyalty. The ability to love passionately and deeply, against all odds. The fascination to kill.**_

_**He would go down to her room again to talk to her, see if she had made up her mind in the meantime. Jerry Tyson still faced trial, granted, but surprisingly no other state in which he had committed a murder had stepped up and demanded an official transfer to one of their state prisons. This ultimately meant that Tyson might be lucky to escape a trial for death penalty anytime soon. Bureaucracy was a necessity in a country as big as the U.S. but he sometimes wondered when it had become the destructive gigantic monster it was now. Going at the speed the official negotiations were currently being processed, Jerry could be waiting for an official trial for a couple of years. Given his background, the violence he had shown, the twisted logic with which he approached things and the deadly precision that plastered his way, it was highly likely that Jerry Tyson had a backup plan. One that would help him out of prison.**_

_**That was why 'Rent a Solution' had secretly been contacted by an influential, wealthy man. Someone who wanted, needed, had to see Jerry Tyson dead.**_

_**The employer got up from his chair and closed Tori's folder. It was time to speak to her.**_

* * *

Kate hadn't seen the sun rise this morning, sitting on her desk even before it had peeked out. The bullpen was busy already, incoming calls blocking their lines since the news of Eddie Potter's death had leaked through. The variety of the calls was outstanding: Starting with those calls that demanded several police officers to repeatedly confirm his death, those that requested the release of the death certificate- requests that had to be politely but also repeatedly denied in the course of the last few hours. Then there were the obligatory screamers, those that blamed the police for Eddie never being arrested for the things they accused him of- those people screamed at the top of their lungs at 6:30 am, asking for superiors, yelling, giving (screamed) lectures on how to be a proper member of the police force. The amount of lunatics calling in that reported having seen the ghost of Eddie Potter at various places of New York City reached a peak of by then unknown numbers. Kate could have sworn it was Halloween, the day of the year the density of lunatics was traditionally the highest.

And then Arlene Francis had called. Normally, no one would have paid attention to a woman in her forties who reported the fact that her neighbor had illuminated his apartment with all lamps possible last night. But Arlene's call had been put through to Kate Beckett. And the name Sam Canston had rung a bell. So Kate was now working on a hunch once again but she decided to give it a go. Sam Canston hadn't been reported missing just yet, still she was preparing to make a move s soon as possible. The opportunity to act on her hunch was presented to her as soon as Castle arrived at the precinct.

"I just got off the phone with Gina," he said, still fuming with rage. Something must have been upsetting, his laid-back conduct interrupted by the conversation.

"What did she want?" Kate casually asked, feigning interest in Castle's second ex-wife.

"It's rather 'what did she do'. Guess who called Sam Canston against my explicit wish? Against everything we've discussed? Once she broke the news to me the only thing you could hear was me yelling at the inappropriateness of her behavior. People turned their heads as I was doing this buying you a bear claw at the bakery. But I didn't mind. She has crossed a line now. I've made crystal clear that she is on probation from now on. I am more than willing to find myself other employees if necessary."

Kate had listened to his little monologue with little to none interest since her mind was busy thinking that something might be wrong with Sam Canston, the photographer that Gina had called last night.

"When did she call him?"

"Hum?" Castle hummed and handed Kate the bear claw which she accepted greedily.

"I said when did she call him?"

"Why would...?"

"Castle, please, just answer my question, when did she call him?"

"Last night around 11, why?"

"And he didn't answer?"

"No, the answering machine picked up and Gina left him a note. She tried again this morning but he didn't pick up either."

"Something is wrong," Kate said, matter of factly and bit into the bear claw.

"Why would something be wrong? Maybe the guy was out for work?" Castle suggested a - surprisingly possible - theory.

"I would have said the same," said Kate between two bites, "but I just had a call from an anxious neighbor of his, Ms Arlene Francis who told me that she had to close her blinds because her dear neighbor - who turns out to be Mr Sam Canston - must have switched on every lamp he owned. She was literally blinded by the light. She also says that his light hasn't been switched off all night, it was still there when she got up earlier. She had contemplated calling on for this but I am glad she did. I am working on a hunch now, he is not reported missing but this really sounds odd."

"Sure does," Castle mumbled, eating a sprinkled donut, "and since your hunches have been quite powerful lately, I'd say we give it a go."

"Whoa there cowboy, I gotta go see Gates about it to get jurisdiction for what I am planning to do. I, however, have asked Esposito to check if he can find any business meetings Sam might have missed yesterday, or even today..."

"Think I can help you with that," Esposito cut in, approaching her desk.

"You can?" Kate asked, being surprised herself.

"Sam Canston was scheduled to take photographs at an engagement party in SoHo last night. He was supposed to arrive at 9pm but remained a no show. The couple called him and left an outraged voicemail on his machine. Turns out, he hasn't picked up this morning either. UPS was scheduled to pick up some packages from his apartment this morning, too, they report that he hasn't opened the door."

"Okay, something _IS_ up, I am going to go see Gates. Prepare to go over to Canston's address and have paramedics on standby, we might need them."

"A hunch?" asked Castle and smirked.

"A hunch, Castle, yeah. Just a hunch."

* * *

**A/N: More tomorrow, I can't keep my eyes open.**


	12. Thou shalt not have other gods before me

**A/N: There is this thing called "real life" and I sometimes wish it wouldn't be as upsetting and annoying as it has gotten recently. But Castle is back and I am so happy that the dreaded hiatus is finally over. I will be starting my new work next week so I am pretty excited about that as well. Hope you don't mind that I took some time off here - will be back more regularly now, though! Here's a quick one to get me writing again! :) **

* * *

**Chapter 12 - Thou shalt not have other gods before me**

_"Okay, something IS up, I am going to go see Gates. Prepare to go over to Canston's address and have paramedics on standby, we might need them."_

_"A hunch?" asked Castle and smirked._

_"A hunch, Castle, yeah. Just a hunch."_

* * *

It hadn't been too difficult to convince Captain Gates that a search warrant for Sam Canston's place was in order, even if the evidence wasn't essentially evidence at all. Sure, there were the neighbor, the UPS delivery guy and the fact that uber-punctual Mr Canston had indeed missed an appointment for work but this alone was too little to justify a warrant. So Esposito and Ryan made some more telephone calls using the list of possible suspects they had compiled in connection to the Eddie Potter case and a lot of answers had been surprisingly helpful.

"No, he would never have missed a minute of work," his former assistant Michelle said when Ryan called her up. She also confirmed that Sam Canston worked late night shifts in his photo lab but would never leave all the lights in his apartment on during the complete night. "He had one of those futuristic devices that measured his usage, one that let you switch your light off with an app. He was really nit-picky about that - this being part of the reason why I didn't see a future working for Sam," she added and Ryan simply had to ask, "him saving the environment, that?"

Michelle seemed to have forgotton that she was talking to a police officer so she quite bluntly said, "not, sucker, surely not that. That's actually something you rarely really see in some parts of the upper classes. Mostly it is just pretend and the charity money quite often funds private parties with a lot of drugs and sex. No, I quit because he was completely meticulous about everything. His food, his clothes, his alarm clock ring tone ... everything. So that ..."

"So that?"

"So that's why I quit," Michelle said and although Ryan was pretty confident she wanted to say something else, he let it go.

Esposito's first phone call supported the statements the former assistant Michelle had made, the landlord of the building went even further and described Sam Canston's love for the environment as 'obsessive' and 'somewhat unhealthy'. He even offered to open the door for the policemen if indeed, something was up.

"Well keep it in mind, as soon as we know how we proceed, we make sure to call," Esposito said and hung up after a quick goodbye. Beckett returned from Gates' office mere seconds later and both Ryan and Esposito looked at her, expectantly.

"So?" Ryan asked, ready to get up the minute Kate would tell them to grab their stuff and go.

"We're going. Grab your stuff," Kate said and couldn't suppress a small smirk at how prepared and eager Ryan seemed to be.

"Calling the paramedics now," Espo said and Kate nodded.

"Will you bring your vest?" Castle asked quietly as he helped Kate into her jacket and she understood immediately that he was not only asking for her safety but for the small prune-sized human inside her stomach. So she just smiled in return and softly touched his cheek. He took it as a yes. Once Esposito had ended his call and uniforms were asked to standby in front of Sam Canston's address, the team hurried out of the 12th, eager to find out whether Sam Canston was still alive or not.

They were scrutinized thoroughly by Captain Victoria Gates, who had just gotten off the phone with one of the judges. The death of Eddie Potter had caused some ugly headlines which threatened to get even worse should the NYPD not be able to determine who was behind it in record time. Captain Gates was worried about her reputation and about the reputation of her team, especially when one of Eddie Potter's co-workers could be in danger as well. She really hoped that Beckett and her team found Sam Canston alive and happy although a feeling deep down in her gut told her they wouldn't. With a sigh she turned around and went back to her desk. This was going to be a long, long day.

* * *

"We're lucky that Gates was able to persuade judge Baxton to issue a search warrant," Castle said as they made their way through the busy New York traffic.

"Nothing to do with luck," Kate mumbled almost inaudibly but Castle heard her and hummed questioningly in response, "she basically said I should trust my hunches."

"No, she did not!" Castle almost screamed.

"She did. She then told me to be extra safe. This is starting to get a little creepy, first Ryan reads me like an open book and then Gates makes those weird innuendos..." Beckett trailed off, lost in her thoughts and in the ebb and flow of the traffic around her. She seriously considered driving under blues and twos to arrive at their destination faster. Quicker than they realized they reached the address and paramedics were already waiting for them, as were several uniforms. Kate slipped into her vest and Castle fastened it in her back when Kate gestured him to halt. "Too tight, Castle," she huffed and he unfastened the velcro to adjust the vest to her needs.

"Better?" he hummed and she nodded, "we're good to go?"

"I am, I never know if you are," she smirked as Castle slipped into his custom-made vest with the white letters 'WRITER' on the blue material. Together they made their way into the building where an all too eager landlord awaited them with the keys to Sam Canston's apartment.

* * *

**_"So," he started, taking in her flushed face and her now glossy hair. She must have showered with the help of one of the nurses, "have you made up your mind?"_**

**_After a few seconds of silence Tori looked the employer in the eye and held his steady gaze, "I have."_**

**_"And what did you decide?" he pressed, eager to learn what she chose._**

**_"I'm game."_**

**_"You are? I must say, I am a little surprised. When we last spoke I wasn't sure if you joined my little organization or not."_**

**_"I wasn't, either."_**

**_"What made you change your mind?" _**

**_"I'd rather not say," Tori answered and he decided to let it go. She would eventually tell him, all of them did sooner or later. It was only a matter of time with them. _**


	13. Nothing suits them like a Suit

**A/N: This happened on the bus this afternoon and I am quite proud. Hope you are as well? I left a hint in the title to the chapter as to what might be going on so ... start the guessing games! :D**

**Edit: Dear guest reviewer, thanks for the medical insight. However, I had someone in my circle of friends that had the sickness right from the start. The tiredness came later. I've heard about the other way around as well :) **

* * *

**Chapter 13 - Nothing Suits them like a Suit**

_"You are? I must say, I am a little surprised. When we last spoke I wasn't sure if you joined my little organization or not."_

_"I wasn't, either."_

_"What made you change your mind?"_

_"I'd rather not say," Tori answered and he decided to let it go. She would eventually tell him, all of them did sooner or later. It was only a matter of time with them.  
_

* * *

_**"Alright, that's fine ... for now," he responded and looked away to signal her that he wouldn't press the matter further. If she chose not to answer his query now, she would later. He looked up again mere seconds later to find her face mask-like and sans expression like before. He guessed she already grasped what kind of mental work was needed for this kind of work. Spot on.**_

**_"So, what happens next," Tori asked, no hint or actual interest in her voice but he could tell she was intrigued. That was how it always started with them, being intrigued quickly developed to being absolutely adjusted to the prerequisites and challenges the job entailed._**

**_"I am expecting one of my best men back from a target," the employer casually explained, never leaving her out of his sight and carefully observing her facial expressions for any signs of hesitation or fear, "and as soon as he is and you're feeling better, he will start giving you mental training."_**

**_She snorted._**

**_"Don't think that it's not gonna be as hard as physical training is going to be, Tori. You will soon see that it is far harder than anything you've ever done. Trust me, I've been there." _**

**_This triggered her curiosity. She sat up straighter in her hospital bed and examined him more carefully._**

**_"Yeah, I've been there. And that's all there is to know," he placated her, unwilling to share anything with his newest asset. _****_She hummed disapprovingly but let it go again._**

**_"We will also equip you with a new identity and some changes to your appearance. Even though I say your face is lovely as it is, you might wanna have a new nose and some changes to hair color, makeup and other smaller things we're capable of doing..." he trailed off as he took in her determined look._**

**_"Whatever's necessary..." she said and gestured him to go on with the program as if he was reading next week's cinema schedule._**

**_"Good, of course we want your leg to fully heal before you'll be going into physical training, the nurses and Dr. Tanner are going to make sure that there are no complications involved."_**

**_"I'm glad," she said, her tone now sarcastic._**

**_"And there is one other thing I want you to always remember, Tori..." he said and his eyes darkened with fury at her apparent disrespect, "... you're here for as long as I want you here. And I don't tolerate snappish behavior. So you may wanna reconsider how you speak to me!"_**

**_Tori notably winced, her manner having been a cover up for her insecurities. His remark and the apparent fury in his voice made her realize how much was at stake. She should be grateful not to be in prison in this very moment, despite her injuries and the prospect to the future._**

**_"Okay," she simply said, unable to fully apologize but it was enough for him to let her off the hook._**

**_"Good, as long as there isn't another time. Frustration is okay, Tori, insecurities are as well. They just shouldn't be in the way and they shouldn't hinder you to become something more, something marvelous."_**

**_"You consider a killer something marvelous?" she asked, wondering if he was indeed serious._**

**_"I consider the choices to be very powerful. They are one time choices, once made they cannot be undone. Our clients do the same once they have given us the target. Their choices cannot be undone, either."_**

**_"And who is the person that wants Jerry Tyson dead?" Tori asked bluntly, risking the rise of the employer's fury once more. To her surprise, he remained calm and all business-like. _**

**_"That's for me to know."  
_**

* * *

The landlord, who had eagerly awaited them as they reached Sam Canston's address, opened the door to the apartment and Ryan and Esposito stormed in, checking the small rooms to the right while Beckett and Castle roamed the loft-like living room. All the lights in the apartment were indeed still switched on.

"Clear," it echoed from the toilet, the bathroom and the bedroom mere moments later and Kate shouted "Clear" to indicate that the living room and the adjacent kitchen were empty as well.

"So far so bad," Castle concluded but Kate put her index finger on her lips to signal Castle to be silent. There was one more room, the landlord had quickly explained the layout of the apartment to them on their way up. Ryan and Esposito approached quickly and with one swift movement, Esposito opened the door to the photo lab only to be confronted with complete darkness. As soon as he had found the light switch, he lightened up the room to unearth the body of Sam Canston lying on the floor.

"The neighbor was right", Esposito stated calmly and pulled out his phone to inform Captain Gates. He quietly stepped out of the room. Beckett asked a paramedic in but she could already tell that the photographer must have been dead for a couple of hours at least. Which would match the description of the unusual full-on lighting of the apartment the neighbor had given them beforehand.

"I see some kind of pattern forming," Castle said as he took in the sight of the body.

"What do you mea... oh!" said Kate and forced herself to look in another direction, her stomach convulsed and rebelled against the display of what was supposed to have been Sam Canston, celebrity photographer.

"This is a message even I understand," Ryan said and cringed as he took in the sight of the empty eye-sockets, "that's really creepy. I guess it's pretty clear what's going on with this one, huh?"

"It gets even clearer," Castle added and with his gloved right finger he lifted up a small note from the ground, "this note is pretty straightforward."

"What's it say?" Ryan asked.

"A photograph can be an instant of life captured for eternity that will never cease looking back at you." Castle read aloud and Kate furrowed her brows.

"Wait, is our killer now quoting Brigitte Bardot?"

"Looks like," Castle grinned at the sudden canorousness of a killer's note. Being the observant tag-along that he was, Castle scanned the room for more evidence before CSU even had the chance to arrive at the scene. He was careful not to touch anything but the sole observation might come in handy later, he thought. Mere moments later the first CSU member entered the room and started to work on anything that could possibly be evidence. After Castle described where exactly he had found the paper snippet, he stepped out into the living room area of the apartment to be greeted by the rest of the team.

Esposito was still talking to an hysterical landlord, who might have imagined that something had happened but would never have imagined it to actually be true. The Latino detective had a hard time distracting the older man from the work that was going on in the other room.

Thankfully one of the uniforms took over and Esposito could join Beckett, Ryan and Castle.

"Free at last?" Castle joked and got a smack on the arm in return.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, "what did I do?"

"Bad joke?"

"Oh, right..."

"Guys, can we please focus?" Beckett tried to reason with the childlike behavior of her co-workers, "we have two dead men that might actually be connected somehow and we need to act fast before the killer strikes a third time. This sure looks like pre-meditated murder to me. We would have to wait for Lanie or Pearlmutter to be sure, but the precision of an eye-removal is outstanding and not something too many people can do."

"You're right, Beckett," Esposito said, "this takes some time, too. I think the killer is playing with us. If he left the light on, someone might have seen him? Or seen him leave? Or even seen him sneaking up to the lab here?"

"You mean he wanted to be caught?" Beckett asked.

"That doesn't make sense, though," Castle contradicted, "it doesn't fit the precision with which he proceeds and I bet we won't be able to find any prints or other evidence that lead to his identity, even if CSU swipes the area more than twice."

"True," added Ryan.

"Also ... I think there is more to the story than we can see here. We're just touching the surface, the water is still shallow..."

"Thank you for the very colorful and figurative metaphor but we take this from here," a dominant female voice said and the team turned around towards the source of the utterance. In the doorway stood a woman, her dark brown curly hair tied back to a knot in her neck. She was wearing a black business suit, a white dress shirt and the only thing that broke the sterility of her appearance was the golden badge that sparkled on her hip.

"Suits," Castle said casually, unable to hide a slight snort to go with it.

"I know. We might have stuck our noses too deep into something here," Kate whispered before the agent could come into her hearing range.

"Agent McCord, I'm with the FBI," the brunette introduced herself and stretched her hand out which Beckett shook after a moment of hesitation.

"Kate Beckett, NYPD, these are my colleagues Ryan, Esposito and my partner Richard Castle."

"Oh, him I've heard of," agent McCord grinned and took his outstretched hand.

"Only positive things, I hope?" Castle joked and shook McCord's hand with a firm grip.

"Naturally," the agent answered and Castle was suddenly too aware of certain happenstances with police horses, older university lecturers and even more he was sure Beckett already knew. But did he want the boys to know, too ...

"So this is FBI territory from now on?" Beckett asked, willing to double-check.

"It is," agent McCord answered and didn't even blink once. She was a woman that was used to getting what she wanted. Castle made a mental note of that and filed it away. She reminded him of Beckett. A lot.

"And you don't want us poking around, helping out?" Castle suggested, wiggling his eyebrows which earned him an incredulous look from his fiancée.

"Um. No?"

"Ah, I just wanted to try..."

"I figured," McCord said and with a small movement of her body and one arched eyebrow she signaled the team that it was time to leave, just as more federal agents swept the room for any evidence.

"We better get going, then," Esposito muttered and Ryan added, "dammit, this was a good one."

"Oh, don't worry too much, guys," Castle said as they left the apartment, "I think this one is gonna be back on your desks sooner than you realize."


	14. Vexation

**A/N: Glad you guys liked - I love every review that I get so if you want to, shoot me some small lines of appreciation. Those past weeks have been intense and uni has certainly stepped up it's game. I will have to slow down to weekly updates and I hope they will be worth the wait. Let me know what you think of this one and shoot me a tweet under my pen name :-)) **

* * *

**Chapter 14 - Vexation**

_"And you don't want us poking around, helping out?" Castle suggested, wiggling his eyebrows which earned him an incredulous look from his fiancée._

_"Um. No?"_

_"Ah, I just wanted to try..."_

_"I figured," McCord said and with a small movement of her body and one arched eyebrow she signaled the team that it was time to leave, just as more federal agents swept the room for any evidence._

_"We better get going, then," Esposito muttered and Ryan added, "dammit, this was a good one."_

_"Oh, don't worry too much, guys," Castle said as they left the apartment, "I think this one is gonna be back on your desks sooner than you realize."_

* * *

As they stripped out of their vests, frustration was tangible between the four. As always when some higher authority snatched cases away from them, they felt like they had come in second best. As if their work wasn't good enough. Naturally, this was not what the situation was essentially about but it sure felt like it.

The superiority of the 'suits' annoyed Castle the most, although he would not openly admit it anymore. Since a job with the investigative team of the attorney general had been offered to Kate, he had done his best to keep his mouth shut at all times, especially when anything concerning this delicate subject had come up. She had argued that she surely _HAD_ to consider an offer like that. And he wouldn't blame her, hadn't he been tempted to write for a certain British spy several years ago?

He shot a side glance towards Kate, who stood a few steps away from him, gnawing on her lower lip in concentration. She was utterly adorable when she did that, he found it interesting how she would get caught up in that movement when she was deep in thought. He had once asked her about it and she had said that she didn't even realize that she was doing it. He silently wondered if she really didn't regret letting the D.C. opportunity pass.

"That's bullshit," Esposito said bluntly, "this is our case!"

"Yeah, that sucks," Ryan added and stared at his shoes.

"Ah, you know, they'll still come to the precinct once they made the connection to Eddie Potter," Castle said and looked at Kate expectantly.

"I think you're right, Castle," she said and nodded.

"Of course, I always am...," the writer replied and Ryan and Esposito shot each other a look that said 'oh, hell, no!'

"Ah, is that so?" Kate chuckled, not even remotely annoyed. Her eyes sparkled at the playfulness of Castle's remark and he couldn't help but grin at her.

"Seriously, guys, we know you're engaged and all but can we go back to the point where you weren't making goo goo eyes at each other all the time? This is getting really frustrating!" Esposito moaned and Ryan nodded but stopped after he took in Castle's glance.

"Okay, we better wrap this up here, us standing here in the middle of the street isn't doing anyone any good," Kate said, ignoring Esposito's comment, and strode towards her parked cruiser and Castle hastily hopped behind her, leaving the two male detectives behind.

"She really has him under her thumb, hasn't she?" Ryan muttered under his breath.

"Sure, bro, too sure" is all Esposito answered before he turned towards his car, still shaking his head.

* * *

A couple of days went by without any progress in the Eddie Potter - case and the team was on the edge of desperation. They were surprised the FBI hadn't snatched that one out of their hands but there hadn't been any calls, no demands for evidence of case files. It had quickly become apparent, though, that one case couldn't be solved without the other, some puzzle pieces were missing and no clear picture was forming without them. Castle was standing in front of the somewhat empty murder board and sighed. Kate looked up from her stash of paperwork and caught him shaking his head.

"What is it, Castle?" she asked and he turned towards her.

"It's not working..." he said, flabbergasting her.

"Uh, what is not working?" she asked and added, "if you mean us..." and indicated the space between them with a hand gesture, "if you mean us, it's too late now to call it quits Castle, I am running around with Castle 2.0!"

"Yeah .. uh? No, no, that's not what I meant," he corrected himself when he realized that she had been confused by the tone of his voice.

"What did you mean then?" she asked, her tone soft and comforting.

"This case ... this is not working out, we're missing something and I am convinced it is in the Sam Canston case which ..."

"... the FBI still hasn't given us to take a look at" Kate finished his sentence and sighed audibly. True, they had requested access to the case files and the findings more than once with no luck so far.

"I really do not wanna close this case, admitting that we didn't have anything to go at," Ryan added, stepping close to the lead detective and her writer shadow. Kate just shot him an apologetic look, even though she felt exactly the same. Justice was something she could still give to people, when her work was obstructed Kate had to right an intense wave of frustration each time it happened. Feeling helpless and useless really wasn't so much her thing.

Castle stepped closer and slowly stroked her shoulders and only when he started doing so Kate realized how tense and taut her muscles were. She quietly hummed and Ryan shot Castle an approving look which was answered by a 'I know what to do here' look from the writer.

"I wish we had something, anything, any small lead that might help us..." Ryan sighed.

"I might have the next best thing," Esposito's voice was heard and the Latino detective approached the rest of his team, holding an evidence bag in his hand, "guess who found some surveillance footage the FBI clearly has never seen?"

* * *

_**She felt a lot better after the second operation than she had been feeling after the first one. As she looked into the mirror and observed her bandaged face she doubted that she'd ever feel 'normal' again but honestly, how could that ever happen again? **_

_**She was a wanted fugitive on the run who had been offered a job as a professional killer. Who in their right mind would have chosen such a plot line to actually exist in real life? Or would have come up with a story similar to this? Oh, one person she knew would have been able to tell a story like hers, Richard Castle, the famous mystery writer and novelist.**_

_**The one person she had come up with who was a candidate for the undertaking of Jerry Tyson's killing. Someone with the necessary financial possibilities to finance such an operation. Someone who would not hesitate doing so in the first place. **_

_**Tori shook her head and the movement hurt too much so she stopped in her tracks and reflected upon the matter even more. Could Richard Castle be the one that paid her mysterious employer to kill her former boyfriend? Would he be willing to risk everything to have Jerry removed from the surface of the earth once and for all? **_

_**She was sure he would have considered those options for himself by now but she wasn't convinced he was driving force behind the employer's secretive plan to enter a state prison's best guarded section and kill a prisoner in there without causing a fuss.**_

_**Nurse Helena knocked onto the door of the bathroom and Tori quietly said, "come in."**_

_**"You ready to take some of the bandages off? I need to change them."**_

_**"Let's do this," Tori said and Nurse Helena started to loosen the bandages and carefully removed them layer by layer. It was then when Tori got a first glimpse of her new face.  
**_

* * *

"What am I supposed to be seeing here, Espo?" said Kate, confused. The Latino looked smug at her lack of knowledge what she was staring at on the large TV screen.

"The better question is, what are you not seeing," Esposito said.

"Now I am lost," Castle shrugged his shoulders.

"You always are," Ryann almost giggled and fist-bumped Esposito.

"For that I am deducting one day of your three days of having my Ferrari," Castle said and Ryan made a face.

"Do I really know why he has the Ferrari again?" Kate smirked.

"No. You really don't," Castle said and shot her an apologetic look.

"I see," Kate grinned and turned back to Esposito, "you were saying...?

"This is surveillance cam footage from the day Eddie Potter was killed. So far, so good, right? I used Lanie's estimated TOD to see if anything happens around his house, in the building both before and after the murder. And guess what I found?"

"Nothing?" Castle asked shyly.

"Precisely."

"And how does that help us now?" Ryan asked.

"Oh wait, it even gets better," said Esposito and started the second video.

"Oh," was all Kate could manage to say when she realized who was in the video.

"Isn't this...?" Castle asked and Esposito nodded.

"Yeah, this is Sam Canston. The photographer. And guess what he was doing at Eddie Potter's house?"


End file.
